OKPOLICY.ORG
Open primaries is a term that encompasses a number of systems that states use for conducting political primaries, none of which limit individuals to voting only in the primary of the party they are registered for (‘closed primary’). The main variations of open primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, are:
- Partially open: voters may cross party lines to vote in primaries but they must publicly declare their ballot choice (4 states);
- Open to unaffiliated voters: unaffiliated voters may participate in any party primary they choose, but voters registered with one party may not vote in another party’s election (7 states);
- Open: voters may choose which party primary to vote in; generally there is no party registration and voting in a party’s primary does not register the voter with that party (15 states).
In addition, five states have variations of “multi-party primaries” in which all voters, regardless of party registration, may vote in a single primary, with the top two vote recipients (or four, in Alaska) then squaring off in a runoff election.
Oklahoma’s primary system is categorized as “partially closed,” as each party may decide whether or not to allow unaffiliated (independent) voters to vote in their primaries. In Oklahoma, the Democratic Party has allowed independent voters, while the Republican Party has not included them.
Supporters of closed primaries argue that party members should be allowed to choose their own candidates, while critics argue that the system disenfranchises registered independents and also tends to favor more ideologically extreme candidates who can draw support from the party base but may lack broader appeal.
In Oklahoma, an initiative petition, SQ 836, has been filed that would open up primaries for most state elections. Under SQ 836, all candidates for an office would appear on one primary ballot regardless of party, with the top-two vote-getters moving forward to the general election. Organizers hope to meet the requirements to appear on the 2026 ballot.
