Idaho and Arizona Open Primary campaigns turn in their signatures and both take the final step closer to the November ballot! We saw two state campaigns this week submit the necessary signatures to their respective SOS offices. 

Idahoans for Open Primaries submitted more than 97,000 signatures from all 44 Idaho counties to the Secretary of State’s office for verification–the final step in getting an open primary initiative on the 2024 ballot. 

More than 200 volunteers with the coalition delivered the signatures and rallied on the statehouse steps in support of opening up Idaho’s elections to all voters. 

Campaign Spokesperson Luke Mayville: 

"This is a system that blocks 270,000 independent voters from participating in the most important elections. We're finally giving voters a chance to change that."

Meanwhile, Make Elections Fair AZ submitted nearly 600,000 signatures to the AZ SOS–more than 200,000 signatures over the required amount. 

34% of AZ voters are unaffiliated–this would open up the system to the second largest bloc of voters in the state. Sarah Smallhouse, a Co-Chair of Make Elections Fair AZ added that this change has the opportunity to “attract a completely different group of people into public policy.”

Check out more great pics from this week’s signature turn in event HERE.

According to Gallup’s latest poll, 51% of Americans now consider themselves politically independent.

That is more than Republicans and Democrats COMBINED! 

2024 is officially the year of the independent voter. Yet, independents still aren’t getting the respect they deserve from the parties, pundits, elected leaders and political system as a whole. We’re dedicated to changing that, because the future of American politics lies with Independent voters. 

OP President John Opdycke offers his take on the recent Presidential debate in a new article: The Speech Joe Biden Won’t Give Part II.  “Independents didn't hand Biden the presidency to coronate him four years later. That’s not how independents think and it isn’t how they vote. Here’s the irony: the Democrats who are panicking are the same folks who made sure that Biden didn’t face a primary challenge.”

Read the full piece HERE.

NEW YORK:  Low voter turnout in New York’s primaries (an average of only 15%) increases the calls to open NY’s primaries to ALL voters. REMINDER: New York shuts out 3 million voters a year in fully closed primaries-one of a dozen states across the country to do so every election year.   

NEVADA: The number of nonpartisan voters continues to rise in the Silver State–with nonpartisans now outnumbering both Republicans and Democrats.

Ballot Question 3 to open Nevada’s primaries to all voters was passed in 2022 but in order to go into effect must pass again this year. OP Spokesperson and College of Southern Nevada Professor Sondra Cosgrove weighed in on the increase in nonpartisan voters: 

"A lot of those nonpartisan voters are my college students, and they're upset right now. They're very interested in issues, they're very devoted to certain issues right now and they're very upset with both political parties because they don't think the parties are speaking to them and that they're ignoring their issues.”

OHIO: Republican state leaders are going after Ohio’s open primary system in an effort to shut out voters and control elections. In a recent column, Former Congressman and Medina County Republican Party Chairman Jim Renacci stated: “No one other than Republicans or Democrats should pick who represents their team.”

PENNSYLVANIA: Rep. Jared Solomon was interviewed in the latest “Voices of Reason” podcast episode about his bill to open primaries and the role independent voters have in elections statewide. Watch the full interview:

SOUTH DAKOTA: A GOP Activist (backed by SD Republican leaders) has failed at getting Amendment H–the top two open primaries initiative removed from the South Dakota 2024 ballot. South Dakotans will still get their chance to let all voters vote this November!

Speaking of South Dakota, this week Let Us Vote shared the story of Tom Heinz, a local business owner in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. He pays his taxes and provides jobs. But guess what? His voice isn't heard in local elections, just because of his political identity.

Tom is one of 150,000 independent voters ignored in elections in South Dakota– South Dakota Open Primaries is hoping to change that this year. 

SUBSCRIBE to the Let Us Vote Youtube channel for all the latest videos.

We just launched a time-sensitive summer fundraising campaign. 

We need to raise millions by election day 2024. We’re starting things off with a $400,000 summer fundraising drive. The good news is that we received a special $100,000 matching gift from a longtime supporter in Florida and another $100,000 matching gift from an anonymous donor so every dollar we raise this summer up to $200,000 will be matched.  

2024 is a year like no other. We have 7 referendums that will be on the ballot! We have a responsibility to do everything we can to win this November, while simultaneously supporting emerging efforts to win in 2026 and 2028 and developing new legal, educational, and coalitional tactics. 

Please consider giving as generously as possible to a real shot at meaningful change in 2024. Every state open primary campaign that passes translates to millions of more Americans being able to vote and giving us a better shot of upgrading our democracy. 

Thank you in advance, 

The Open Primaries Team