'I have no voice': Oklahomans talk open primaries amid independent voter increase

Editor's note: Due to limited space, we could not include all responses to this prompt, but we encourage readers to keep up with future questions by subscribing to our opinion newsletter, Oklahoma Public Square.

Unaffiliated voters are Oklahoma's largest-growing voter block, with registered independents now making up 19% of voters. This means nearly 1 in 5 registered Oklahoma voters are barred from participating in Republican and libertarian primaries, primaries that often determine major races in the deep red state.

We asked readers their thoughts on the growing movement to mandate open primaries.

From email submissions, to survey form responses, here are the comments we've gathered on this topic:

From our inbox

● Republicans and independentsDemocrats and independentsThis way each party can have independents voting either democratic or republican candidates.

— Bill Gary

● I have come to believe that primary votes should be open to all registered voters. If for no other reason, than because they are paid for with tax dollars. Political parties that want to limit participation should then pay for the primaries.

— Deborah Maupai, Oklahoma City

● I favor open primaries.

I prefer Ranked Choice voting!!!

— Scott Davis, Oklahoma City

From the comment section

● Currently, Oklahoma has a GOP U.S. senator who has begun carrying water for a billionaire with leftist immigration policy goals.

The role of money in current politics makes this question of open primaries simpler. Open primaries would be more dependent on "dark money" campaigns funded by Tribal casino bosses and left-wing tech billionaires who like to manipulate from the sidelines.

— Jon_C.

● Only voters registered in a particular party should be able to vote in that party's primary. I have no desire to waste my vote selecting a candidate from the other party. Democrats decided some time ago to allow independents to vote in their primary, and that's their prerogative. But I don't want just anyone choosing the candidate in my party. This opens the door to voting for the weakest candidate thereby making him/her easier to beat.

― Joanna_M.

● Don't have a problem with the growing number of independents. If they continue to grow and can produce a viable candidate, then I may even consider to vote for their candidate in a general election. For now, I don't feel like they should be allowed to vote in either a Democrat or Republican primary. It is a choice they made to register in that party, some by peer pressure and others by being discouraged with their current party. Similar to the above comments.

— Leon_P.

● I’m a disgruntled Republican deeply embarrassed by the current state of the GOP. I think the party has been hijacked, and is currently experiencing a Lord of the Flies moment.

With that said, I think it should be up to the individual parties on how they organize. While we’re at it, in politics organizing is extremely important. If one group is extremely organized and energized to vote, but yours isn’t, you will lose.

Some of these people take their families to political rallies every Sunday morning. They’ll even switch parties when it benefits them. If you want to beat them, you’ll have to be more organized than they are.

— Jeremy_N.

From our survey form

● An open primary is crucial to changing the imbalance in this state.

— Donna Sinnes, Stillwater

● I would like to be able to vote for the candidate I want, regardless of party affiliation, and I know my 31-year old daughter feels the same way.

— Laura Chalus, Inola

● It is needed in order to vote for the two best choices following the primaries.

— Kristi Frisbie, Tulsa

● The up-and-coming generation realizes the need for change and for working together to make a better world for all of us. Open primaries certainly would help to achieve that.

— Marilyn McMurray, Oklahoma City

● Yes, please open the primaries! As someone who is truly independent, I feel like my vote does not count in the current system.

— Sara Sweet, Nichols Hills

● I would like to see open primaries, but until we get different leadership in our Legislature they will never allow it. They know that it benefits the party in power. Already have had conversations about this with leadership. It will have to be done by the people. And then the question becomes is this where we are going to spend our grassroot monies.

— Deborah Johnson, Owasso

● I want open primaries. I want to have a voice in who actually gets elected. I am a centrist Democrat who often doesn't have a voice at all in who gets elected when either there is no Democratic challenger and the election gets decided at the primary stage or when there is almost certainly a landslide win for the candidate with (R) by their name. I finally got so fed up, I switched my registration to Republican because I'm tired of not having a voice in who is representing me.

— Sunita Darbe, Edmond

● Every vote is important and should count whatever political affiliation.

— Billy Proctor, Wetumka

● I agree with open primaries. If independent voters can not choose which candidate they like from a specific party they are not able to truly have a vote.

— Sharon Simon, Stillwater

● I fully support an open primary. All voters should be allowed to participate in the process of selecting the candidates that are on the ballot.

— Susan Pippin, Tulsa

● I believe it is absolutely necessary so that one party doesn’t gain complete control for an indefinite amount of time. Allowing open primaries ensures that the far right and far left don’t dictate policy and decision-making. It gives the majority middle more of a voice.

— Courtney T., Edmond

● I think it is essential! Oklahoma is falling behind in education, health, mental health, and overall livability. All this besides the fact that a one-party system such as we have here, is not an efficient or clean way to run a government.

— Mary Ann Hille, Tulsa

● Open primaries provide a true reflection of Oklahoma voter choices. I am not persuaded to vote for someone based solely on the party they are affiliated with. Closed primaries deny me the right to choose a person for office that I believe will represent me. I resent the GOP telling me that I must only vote for their candidates. I want freedom of choice!

— Suzanne Rausch, Tulsa

● In support of open primaries, as this helps shift towards centrist, moderates candidates instead of extreme ones.

— Brian Schettler, Norman

● Many elections at the local and county level in Oklahoma only involve Republican candidates. So, voters not a registered Republican cannot vote in that election at all. This promotes further polarization of the political process and may very well not reflect the will of the local populace. All taxpayers are footing the bill for local elections and should be able to vote regardless of political party affiliation.

— Gary Holland, Stillwater

● I am fully in favor of mandated open primaries. I think the evidence suggests we will get more moderate elected officials focused on better government policies and focused less on politics.

— Mary Purdy, Tahlequah

● I appreciate political parties want to control what goes on in their own parties. What concerns me is the stranglehold two parties have on virtually all elections at every scale throughout the country. My concern is only heightened when I recognize that small factions within each political party wield inordinate control within their respective parties. If political parties will continue to obfuscate alternative political parties or even outright refuse them from participating in our self-governance with USA elections, then I feel obligated to accommodate independent voters in both parties' primaries. Since American tradition and current political conditions virtually ensure state and the federal governments will not remediate the mechanics of election procedures to ensure more accurate representation, the priority to improve what can be improved, participation in party primaries, is increased.

— Chris K., Glencoe

● I finally left the Republican Party in 2020. I wanted to leave many years ago but didn’t want to give up my right to vote in the primaries. So now I can’t vote most of the time. I have no voice unless I want to be an R or a D. I am neither. I am just American with no voice. So yeah, open the dang primary!

— Julie Buckley, Guthrie

● Open primaries are preferable to the current situation in Oklahoma, which sometimes disenfranchises those who aren't registered Republicans. However, because Oklahoma state politics are dominated by the Republican Party, open primaries would probably still result in a power imbalance in the state. I'm more in favor of Instant Runoff Voting, also called Ranked Choice Voting, which eliminates the need for primaries. It saves money, time, and allows a more accurate measure of voter's preferences.

— Robin Cornwell, Stillwater

● Mandatory open primaries violate the First Amendment right of free association. If someone wants to influence a party election they need to be a member of that party.

— Jay Norton, Oklahoma City

● I support open primaries but oppose top-2 primaries. Top-2 primaries are a barrier to the general election ballot for minority and alternate party candidates.

— Kayla Merchant, Tulsa

● It is not just the younger folks that are tired of the extreme polarization. I like the idea of open primaries. I am one of the registered independents.

— Greg Conder, Claremore

● Open primaries provide a balanced approach to selecting candidates that represent the majority of the population and increases collaboration. On the flip side, closed primaries benefit extreme candidates with special interests that polarize communities.

— Adrienne Elder, Nichols Hills

● I think opening up the primaries to independent voters is very important. As an independent voter myself, I would love to have the option of choosing candidates before they get whittled down to just one per party. With independent voters having a larger (and growing!) majority than one of the existing political parties, it would make sense to allow them to have a voice during the selection process.

— David Pilchman, Oklahoma City

● I believe the more individuals voting, the more effective our elections will be. I would also support rank choice voting and feel elections would be more efficient that way.

— Lisa Bozeman, Stillwater

● Oklahoma should definitely enact open primaries. In addition to that, eliminate straight party ticket voting. I was a registered Republican for 40 years, but 4 years ago registered as an Independent.

— Richard Johnson, Tulsa

● Opening the primaries to all registered voters would require the candidates to develop a campaign strategy that would appeal to a wider range of voters. They would have to describe and justify their stance on a wide range of issues. This would allow for accountability to all voters once in office as well.

— Ros Elder, Tulsa

● I agree and support open primaries. There is too much emphasis on party affiliation. It's not good for the country. More America, less Republicans and Democrats.

— Robert Shoemaker, Edmond

● Opening primaries to all voters will reduce political extremism and polarization, leading to better, more centrist candidates who are willing to transcend ideological boundaries to get the government’s work accomplished.

— Brendan Hoover, Oklahoma City

● It would be a positive change that allows full involvement in the political process no matter your affiliation. It would bring some hope in a state where voting seems pointless.

— Cristina Kroutter, Broken Arrow

● I think this is an idea that's time has come. For too long our state politics have been dominated by party insiders, too often leading to extremists on both sides of the aisle winning nomination, leading to polarization in our state politics and the resultant bad policies. In many states, including my home state of Illinois, voters don't even declare a party affiliation when they register to vote. You simply request the ballot of your choice at the primary polling place. Not only would those who are registered Independent have a say in the primary process, but this would help moderates in both the Democratic and Republican parties have a better chance at winning their respective primaries. There would be less polarization in our state's politics, and this would result in better policy and more productive legislative sessions.

— Martha Mattes, Tulsa

● I think we should find another way for voters to choose the candidates for the general election. Open primaries mean that voters can cross party lines and vote for the candidate they think are least likely to win. Closed primaries mean that those not registered with one of the main parties don't have a vote. Perhaps somehow using rank-choice voting is worth thinking about.

— Becky Schaller, Oklahoma City

● Elections have been hijacked by the most extreme ends of both major parties. I believe that primaries should be open to all voters so candidates need to appeal to a broader slice of the electorate. I would also like to see ranked choice voting.

— Kami Barton, Tulsa

● Open primaries should encourage more voter participation which, in turn, generally requires those seeking office to be responsive to their constituents’ needs rather their base’s extreme views.

— Mort Welch, Oklahoma City

● The only fair system would be a single primary, open without regard to party affiliation or lack thereof, with ranked choice voting used to determine which two candidates advance to the general election. This would give everyone a voice, and reward candidates acceptable to a broad spectrum of citizens.

— Gary Harris, Ada

● I am in favor of open primaries. I believe all registered voters have the right to vote in primaries, regardless of their political party affiliation.

— Shirley Brandon, Broken Arrow

● We need to open our primaries to all voters. Young people need to know their votes count and not lost to a single party favored system. Oklahomans need to celebrate their right to vote and end our ranking as a state with extremely low voter turnout.

— Karen Fraser, Tulsa

● I think it’s a good idea, especially since many races have candidates from no other parties but Republicans. I also like the possibility of ranked choice voting.

— Dia McGowen, Woodward

● Not only should Independents be able to vote in primaries, but party members should be able to cross over.

— Jo Ann Barker, Tulsa

● Mixed. I am personally disenfranchised by closed primaries and personally think radical right or left candidates are counterproductive to good governance and run strongly counter to the direction I want our country to go. I am strongly opposed to closed primaries in cases where a primary results in an unchallenged candidate in the general elections. However, I don't think our electorate's shift to independent is telling us they want to vote in a particular party's primary. I think what our citizens are actually demonstrating is growing disillusionment with our party system as a whole. I am a far greater supporter of a shift toward elimination of partisan primaries across the board and a greater shift to rank choice voting, preservation of citizen ballot initiative, and campaign finance reform--all steps that would level the playing field both for candidates and for voters.

— A.Y., Tulsa

● I think everyone should have the right to vote. The unfairness of this block is most evident here in Oklahoma. As a Democrat, I'm barred from being able to vote for an individual in a Republican primary when there isn’t anyone running in my party. So whoever gets the nod, I’ve had no voice.

— Desiree Borders, Tulsa

● Yes we need open primaries! I am a registered Independent and until recently when the Democratic party allowed me to vote in their primaries, I was shut out of they system entirely until the general election.

— Randolph Wagner, Tulsa

● I think it is absolutely vital and would bolster democracy. I am neither a registered Libertarian nor a Republican, but considering the electoral advantage these two parties enjoy in Oklahoma, I understand the reality that most of our elected representatives will belong to one of these two parties, and I would like to have a say over which primary candidate I would prefer to move onto the general election. My life and the lives of the rest of Oklahomans will be affected by the policies of whoever is elected, and therefore I believe nonaffiliated voters should have a choice in who they would prefer to represent them.

— Lauren Hollister, Ponca City

● I think the only way to protect our state from extremism, from either side, is to have open primaries. Open primaries will keep candidates from running to the left or right. We need common sense candidates who will work together.

— Jennifer Gardner, Sand Springs

● I am in favor of open primaries. As a registered independent I believe my voice should be heard in each and every election. I should be able to voice my choice of candidate regardless of the party. I understand I can vote my choice in a general election but I believe I should be able to also voice who I would prefer the candidates be in that general election.

— Marilyn Belcher, Tulsa

● I approve of it. As a judge at a voting site, I see the resection of the Independent voter's voice in every primary. I also want to see the end of Straight Party voting. It leads to the vast majority of spoiled ballots when a voter will straight party vote then mark for someone of a different party in a single race.

— Jean Nelson, Oklahoma City

● Closed primaries disenfranchise huge swaths of voters — especially in a largely red state like OK when there are no challengers from other parties.

— Mary Williams, Tulsa

● Closed primaries are a waste of tax dollars. Let’s be fiscally responsible and join the majority of states that support open primaries.

― Danica Whitman, Tulsa

● Do it. Do it now. Most people have no idea that this has even been happening, but are really upset with our status quo. All voters should have all candidates in front of them. They are paying for these elections and it’s wrong to exclude them. We all want the freedom to choose the person we think is best for the job without interference or being told what to do. Open primaries would energize all our voters, increase registration, and give everyone a voice. Independents deserve to have an equal voice in all the elections they’re being taxed to pay for.

— Margaret Kobos, Tulsa

● I purposefully changed my affiliation to Republican so that I would have a voice in Oklahoma. I feel that primaries should be open since we all have to live with the vote regardless of how we choose.

— Jackie Tucker, Edmond

● I believe that all eligible, registered voters should have the right to vote in any primary election they want to. They shouldn't have to join a political party in order to vote in elections they help pay for with their taxes.

— Beth Donica Sackett, Tulsa

● Let Republicans vote for the candidate they want and let the Democrats vote for the candidate they want and Libertarians and independents vote for their party’s choice. As a Republican I don’t want Democrats choosing my candidate. If people choose to be an independent then that is their choice. They can vote for anyone in the general election.

— John Crain, Nichols Hills

● I totally support the idea of open primaries instead of closed. I would like to be able to vote for any individual from any party, rather than just the ones in my party. I am a Republican in Oklahoma, and I feel for the democrats here who don't think their voice is heard.

— Rick Moore, Ph. D., Edmond

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahomans talk open primaries ahead of 2024 election season