For this special Thanksgiving edition of the Primary Buzz, we wanted to share with you two powerful pieces from two very different Open Primaries champions. 

The first is an open letter from the widely popular Republican Mayor of Oklahoma City, David Holt.  Mayor Holt is the first Native American to be elected Mayor of OKC, a businessman, and the current President of the United States Conference of Mayors.

The second is a new editorial from Delegate Lily Qi, a Democrat and a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Delegate Qi was born in Shanghai, China and grew up during the height of the Cultural Revolution. She is the first Chinese-born member of the Maryland House of Delegates and represents Montgomery County, one of the largest minority districts in the state.

Two very different Americans. Yet, in these polarized times, two very similar-and hopeful!- takes on what is necessary to get our politics back on track. It all starts with letting all voters vote. And when you let all voters vote, anything is possible.

To: Open Primaries Supporters

Fr: Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt

Here in Oklahoma, hundreds of volunteer and paid petitioners are gathering signatures to put State Question 836 on the ballot. If passed by the voters, we will have a truly open primary that treats all voters equally - like we already have in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. This system would force all candidates to face all voters, and would allow all voters to see all of the candidates.   

This state question isn’t just another policy debate. It may be our last, best opportunity to restore functional, responsive governance in Oklahoma.

Click here to read Mayor Holt’s full letter

Delegate Qi, who came of age in China’s cultural revolution, represents one of the largest immigrant districts in Maryland and has been widely heralded for energizing immigrant voters through her campaigns. In the following piece, she speaks forcefully of why so many immigrants of color are adverse to party politics, registering as independent voters and then finding their voice wiped out in closed primary elections just as it was in the authoritarian regimes they left behind.

As someone who knows very well what real authoritarianism is and what the promise of democracy demands, Delegate Qi talks about the need to let independents into the election process and why that’s so critical to preserving American democracy.

As Delegate Qi notes:

Read her powerful oped here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Open Primaries Team