Repeal Closed Primaries

Every spring, Pennsylvania's voters head to the polls for the Commonwealth's primary elections.

But not everyone is included in this process. That’s because primaries are closed in Pennsylvania.  More than 1.1 million taxpaying independent voters are denied their right to vote in these elections, despite paying their share of $75 million a year to fund them.

It’s time to #RepealClosedPrimaries and allow every legally registered voter to cast a ballot in PA’s primary.

74% of Pennsylvanians support repealing closed primaries - including strong majorities of independents, Democrats, and Republicans.

Repealing closed primaries would guarantee a more fair process, increase the competitiveness of races, and help limit the amount of extremism and gridlock on both sides.

Join the overwhelming majority of PA voters in favor of ending closed primaries in PA – add your name below to join the movement to #RepealClosedPrimaries now.

Ballot PA is a project of the Committee of Seventy and is a growing coalition of civic, community and business organizations committed to ensuring independents in Pennsylvania have the right to vote in primary elections.

 

Who's signing

Harlan Shober
Phillip Zeo Jr
Phillip Zeo
Brandon Hess
David Hutchinson
Ethan Tran
Sarah Walker
Erica Bates
William Day
Rikki Jones
Anders Haunso
Nicholas Krawec
Brock Bevan
Jill McElwee
Patrick McElwee
Keena Minifield
Finith Jernigan
Bill Newbold
Sara Schrader
Regina Kochmaruk
Terry Vonada
Laura Mull
Stanley Spotts
Michael Clime
Robert Jones
Karen Stark
Irison Feeny
Marni Reid
Tricia Smith
Gary Rothera
4,217 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Harlan Shober
    signed 2023-03-07 11:33:05 -0500
    Harlan G. Shober Jr.
  • Phillip Zeo Jr
    signed via 2023-03-07 11:18:12 -0500
    It’s been far too long. We the people, who should have a voice in representative government, are denied that right. “No taxation without representation”.
  • Phillip Zeo
    signed via 2023-03-07 09:53:11 -0500
  • Brandon Hess
    signed 2023-03-07 07:39:49 -0500
    Thank you for starting this poll! Very important issue to me.
  • David Hutchinson
    signed via 2023-03-06 18:02:50 -0500
  • Ethan Tran
    signed via 2023-03-06 13:40:11 -0500
  • Sarah Walker
    signed via 2023-03-06 07:13:47 -0500
  • Erica Bates
    signed via 2023-03-05 20:44:53 -0500
  • William Day
    signed via 2023-03-04 11:46:44 -0500
    As you said “fair”
  • Rikki Jones
    signed via 2023-03-03 23:51:35 -0500
  • Anders Haunso
    signed via 2023-03-02 21:02:32 -0500
  • Nicholas Krawec
    signed 2023-03-02 20:42:21 -0500
  • Brock Bevan
    signed 2023-03-02 15:14:00 -0500
    Why is the public paying for these political parties to have a closed election? Let them pay for it out of their own pockets if the public cannot vote. I thought we lived in a democracy. Didn’t we fight a war about no taxation without representation. Remember? If I cannot vote, then you cover your own expenses. Further, both parties should have to reimburse the public for having covered these costs for this long.
  • Jill McElwee
    signed 2023-03-02 09:14:36 -0500
  • Patrick McElwee
    signed via 2023-03-02 09:12:17 -0500
  • Keena Minifield
    signed via 2023-03-01 19:44:28 -0500
  • Finith Jernigan
    signed via 2023-02-28 18:20:53 -0500
  • Bill Newbold
    signed 2023-02-28 00:28:15 -0500
  • Sara Schrader
    signed 2023-02-27 09:55:50 -0500
  • Regina Kochmaruk
    signed via 2023-02-26 19:25:24 -0500
  • Terry Vonada
    signed via 2023-02-26 18:38:16 -0500
  • Laura Mull
    signed via 2023-02-24 23:04:01 -0500
    Absolutely support this, every single American should be able to vote for who they want..regardless of "affiliation "

    What would really level the “playing field” is to completely eliminate political affiliation. Why make Americans pick a side, why let a jackhole take office, not because of Merit. But because of straight party voting? Those elected should be there because they ran for office without a party to gold them up, I bet more people would vote if they could pick any candidate they wanted, rather than pick a side, rather than deal with the blue vs red drama they stay home rather than vote. ..but expecting political candidates to prove their worth by being a representative for ALL AMERICANS… well, that just makes too much sense to take traction….
  • Stanley Spotts
    signed via 2023-02-24 20:26:06 -0500
    This always bothered me. It’s why we had only Oz to run against the broken train wreck Fetterman for PA Senator.
  • Michael Clime
    signed via 2023-02-24 11:26:02 -0500
  • Robert Jones
    signed via 2023-02-23 13:52:14 -0500
  • Karen Stark
    signed via 2023-02-23 13:12:19 -0500
  • Irison Feeny
    signed via 2023-02-22 15:57:15 -0500
  • Marni Reid
    signed via 2023-02-21 20:21:17 -0500
  • Tricia Smith
    signed via 2023-02-20 19:04:09 -0500
  • Gary Rothera
    signed via 2023-02-20 13:21:08 -0500
    We are both Independents registered as Democrats and we hate doing that so that we can vote. Its so unjustly unfair!

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