Open Primaries Initiative Submitted
Contact: Ashley Prince, Campaign Manager (208) 971-3000; info@openprimariesid.org
Website: openprimariesid.org
For Immediate Release – May 2, 2023
Coalition forms in support of open primary elections
Boise – A coalition of community groups and civic organizations has formed to file a citizen ballot initiative that aims to give Idahoans the freedom to vote in open, nonpartisan primary elections.
The new coalition, called “Idahoans for Open Primaries,” includes the Idaho Task Force of Veterans for Political Innovation, North Idaho Women, Represent Us Idaho, the Hope Coalition, and Reclaim Idaho.
More coalition partners will be announced in the summer, when the coalition plans to hold signature-drive kickoff events in every region of the state.
The coalition is critical of Idaho’s closed Republican primary, which blocks independent voters from participating in elections unless they join a political party. The Open Primaries Initiative, which the group intends to place on the November 2024 ballot, aims to create a non-partisan primary system that is open to all voters regardless of party affiliation.
“I’ve always thought of Idaho as a fiercely independent state,” said retired news anchor Karole Honas, who identifies as an independent and has signed up to collect signatures. “I’m fed up with being forced to join a political party in order to vote in our state’s most important elections.”
“There are 200,000 voters in Idaho who are independent like me, and we’re blocked from voting in Idaho’s most important primary elections,” said Debbie Reid-Oleson, a fourth-generation rancher from Blackfoot who added her name as one of the first 20 signers of the Open Primaries Initiative. “It’s wrong that we’re forced to join a political party just to exercise our right to vote.”
The coalition has already recruited local leaders and begun planning volunteer events across the state. Volunteers say the initiative will help elect leaders who are focused on solving problems, not wasting time with controversies that turn us against each other.
“Our current primary system incentivizes candidates to demonize people who disagree with them rather than focus on solving problems,” said Hyrum Erickson, a Republican Precinct Committeeman in Rexburg who has committed to collect signatures for the Open Primaries Initiative. “We can do better.”
Similar to an initiative recently passed in Alaska, the Open Primaries Initiative would create a “top four” primary election. All candidates participate in the same primary election and the top four candidates advance to the general election. Voters then choose the winner in a general election with instant runoff voting, which gives voters the freedom to pick their top candidate and then to rank additional candidates in order of preference.
Instant runoff voting ensures that the winner enjoys support from a broad coalition of voters and not just a narrow faction. If no candidate wins over 50% of the vote once all first-choice rankings are counted, the last-place candidate is eliminated and each vote for that candidate is transferred to the voter’s second-choice candidate. This process repeats until a candidate receives over 50% of the vote and is declared the winner.
Supporters say the instant runoff process gives every voter a voice. Even if a voter’s first choice is eliminated, the voter’s remaining choices still count.
“This is a simple, common-sense reform that will give us better elections and better leadership,” said former Republican Speaker of the House Bruce Newcomb, who added his name as one of the first 20 signers of the Open Primaries Initiative.
Utah recently held instant runoff elections in 21 cities. In a survey conducted after the elections, over 80% of the Utah voters who participated said the election system was easy to understand. A 2022 Alaska survey found that 85% of Alaska voters viewed the instant runoff process as “simple.”
There are 63 localities in the United States that conduct instant runoff elections. Two states (Maine and Alaska) hold statewide instant runoff elections, and 6 states (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia) use instant runoff voting for military and overseas voters.
Earlier today the coalition submitted the initiative’s first 20 signatures to the Idaho Secretary of State along with the full text of the proposal. Before additional signatures can be collected, the initiative must be reviewed by the offices of the Secretary of State and Attorney General. Campaign organizers expect the signature drive to begin in June.
In order to qualify for the November 2024 ballot, the campaign must collect valid signatures from 6% of all Idaho voters who were registered at the last general election, which is 62,895 signatures statewide. The campaign must also collect signatures from 6% of registered voters in each of 18 legislative districts. The campaign must meet these signature requirements by May 1st, 2024.
More on the partner organizations of Idahoans for Open Primaries:
The Idaho Task Force of Veterans for Political Innovation is the Idaho division of Veterans for Political Innovation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to save American democracy from partisan extremism, gridlock and dangerous division.
North Idaho Women is a non-partisan civic organization formed to empower women in North Idaho to defend democratic values.
Represent US Idaho is the Idaho chapter of Represent US, a non-partisan organization committed to stopping corruption, ending partisan gerrymandering, and making elections more representative.
Hope Coalition is a non-partisan organization of engaged citizens in Hope, Idaho who work to support strong public schools, access to healthcare, and qualified candidates for public office.
Reclaim Idaho Fund, Inc. is a 501(c)4 non-partisan organization with a mission to make Idaho government respond to the needs of all Idahoans, not just those with the most money and influence. The organization has advocated for expanded healthcare coverage, strong public schools, and citizen initiative rights.
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