Advocates push for Pennsylvania to leave its closed primary system behind

[RandySF]

When Pennsylvanians go to the polls for Tuesday’s primary elections, they will choose who represents their party in races across the state in November. But nearly 1.5 million voters who are registered as independents or with a third party aren’t allowed to vote in the state’s partisan primaries.

That’s because only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote in their parties’ respective primaries under Pennsylvania law.

Pennsylvania is one of eight states with closed primary elections. Another nine have what are known as “partially closed” primaries where parties have the option to allow unaffiliated voters to cast a ballot.

But some advocates are trying to change that.




https://penncapital-star.com/election-2026/advocates-push-for-pennsylvania-to-leave-its-closed-primary-system-behind/