House Panel Votes to Repeal Closed Primaries in PA
HB 280 would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections
May 13, 2025
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HB 280 would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections
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A week before the 2025 Pennsylvania municipal primary election, the House State Government Committee advanced a bill that would permit independents to vote in what has been closed primaries in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 280, sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia), would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, ensuring they would join Republican and Democratic voters in the selection of candidates for November general elections.
“Pennsylvania’s closed primary system is fundamentally unjust, and it’s making government at all levels worse,” said David Thornburgh, who chairs Ballot PA, the Pennsylvania-based nonpartisan effort to end closed primaries. “It’s time for the state to open our primaries and give every voter a voice.
“Come May 20, independent voters once again will be pushed aside and denied their right to cast a ballot for candidates in the primary election,” Thornburgh said. “It’s time to finally put an end to this unjust practice.”
Pennsylvania is one of nine states that completely prohibit independent voters from participating in primary elections, including Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Only members of the Republican and Democratic parties are eligible to participate to select their party’s nominee in November. This occurs despite the fact that primaries, which cost local and state governments roughly $75 million, are paid from the pockets of every Pennsylvanian regardless of their political affiliation.
According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State, there are more than 1.4 million independent voters across the state. This includes nearly 1.1 million who have registered with no affiliation and an additional 320,000 that are registered with a minor party.
Supporters of the bill note that especially during municipal elections, which are focused on local and non-federal statewide races, non-affiliated voters are shut out of choices for local officials that are often determined in the primary.
As an example, independent voters in Philadelphia are not eligible to vote for the contentious District Attorney contest between Larry Krasner and Pat Dugan.
Largest PA Counties w/Voters Registered With No Affiliation
An August 2024 poll from Franklin & Marshall’s Center for Public Opinion and Research found that in a survey of 920 Pennsylvania voters, more than three-quarters (77%) favored primary elections that allow registered independent voters to participate in the primary election of their choice. And 3-in-10 (31%) said that allowing independents to vote in open primaries would make them likely to change their party registration.
In an op-ed in the Greensburg Tribune-Review, Ed Beck also laid out the case where Pennsylvania’s veterans are also finding themselves excluded from the primary process. He cites a statistic that says roughly half of all veterans nationwide are registered as independent or unaffiliated voters and, with Pennsylvania home to nearly 800,000 veterans, tens of thousands of people who wore the uniform in service to democracy are now denied a voice in shaping it.
“I no longer have a say in who governs our local schools, my township, my county or even who runs for the state Legislature,” wrote Beck.
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) was a co-sponsor on a similar bill a year ago that would allow independent voters to choose candidates, but not permit them to vote for party officers or party committee members, while also excluding third-party voters from participating in primary elections.
Her legislation did not advance and Boscola says the reason is simple.
“If you add independents into the mix, what’s that going to do for certain districts? So they look at that,” Boscola said of legislative leaders in both chambers. “In Harrisburg, maintaining control of your chamber is the most important thing.”
The next challenge is getting both chambers of the General Assembly to vote for the bill during the same session. In 2019, the Senate passed a similar proposal by a 42-8 vote
A week before the 2025 Pennsylvania municipal primary election, the House State Government Committee advanced a bill that would permit independents to vote in what has been closed primaries in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 280, sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia), would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, ensuring they would join Republican and Democratic voters in the selection of candidates for November general elections.
“Pennsylvania’s closed primary system is fundamentally unjust, and it’s making government at all levels worse,” said David Thornburgh, who chairs Ballot PA, the Pennsylvania-based nonpartisan effort to end closed primaries. “It’s time for the state to open our primaries and give every voter a voice.
“Come May 20, independent voters once again will be pushed aside and denied their right to cast a ballot for candidates in the primary election,” Thornburgh said. “It’s time to finally put an end to this unjust practice.”
Pennsylvania is one of nine states that completely prohibit independent voters from participating in primary elections, including Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Only members of the Republican and Democratic parties are eligible to participate to select their party’s nominee in November. This occurs despite the fact that primaries, which cost local and state governments roughly $75 million, are paid from the pockets of every Pennsylvanian regardless of their political affiliation.
According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State, there are more than 1.4 million independent voters across the state. This includes nearly 1.1 million who have registered with no affiliation and an additional 320,000 that are registered with a minor party.
Supporters of the bill note that especially during municipal elections, which are focused on local and non-federal statewide races, non-affiliated voters are shut out of choices for local officials that are often determined in the primary.
As an example, independent voters in Philadelphia are not eligible to vote for the contentious District Attorney contest between Larry Krasner and Pat Dugan.
Largest PA Counties w/Voters Registered With No Affiliation
An August 2024 poll from Franklin & Marshall’s Center for Public Opinion and Research found that in a survey of 920 Pennsylvania voters, more than three-quarters (77%) favored primary elections that allow registered independent voters to participate in the primary election of their choice. And 3-in-10 (31%) said that allowing independents to vote in open primaries would make them likely to change their party registration.
In an op-ed in the Greensburg Tribune-Review, Ed Beck also laid out the case where Pennsylvania’s veterans are also finding themselves excluded from the primary process. He cites a statistic that says roughly half of all veterans nationwide are registered as independent or unaffiliated voters and, with Pennsylvania home to nearly 800,000 veterans, tens of thousands of people who wore the uniform in service to democracy are now denied a voice in shaping it.
“I no longer have a say in who governs our local schools, my township, my county or even who runs for the state Legislature,” wrote Beck.
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) was a co-sponsor on a similar bill a year ago that would allow independent voters to choose candidates, but not permit them to vote for party officers or party committee members, while also excluding third-party voters from participating in primary elections.
Her legislation did not advance and Boscola says the reason is simple.
“If you add independents into the mix, what’s that going to do for certain districts? So they look at that,” Boscola said of legislative leaders in both chambers. “In Harrisburg, maintaining control of your chamber is the most important thing.”
The next challenge is getting both chambers of the General Assembly to vote for the bill during the same session. In 2019, the Senate passed a similar proposal by a 42-8 vote
A week before the 2025 Pennsylvania municipal primary election, the House State Government Committee advanced a bill that would permit independents to vote in what has been closed primaries in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 280, sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia), would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, ensuring they would join Republican and Democratic voters in the selection of candidates for November general elections.
“Pennsylvania’s closed primary system is fundamentally unjust, and it’s making government at all levels worse,” said David Thornburgh, who chairs Ballot PA, the Pennsylvania-based nonpartisan effort to end closed primaries. “It’s time for the state to open our primaries and give every voter a voice.
“Come May 20, independent voters once again will be pushed aside and denied their right to cast a ballot for candidates in the primary election,” Thornburgh said. “It’s time to finally put an end to this unjust practice.”
Pennsylvania is one of nine states that completely prohibit independent voters from participating in primary elections, including Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Only members of the Republican and Democratic parties are eligible to participate to select their party’s nominee in November. This occurs despite the fact that primaries, which cost local and state governments roughly $75 million, are paid from the pockets of every Pennsylvanian regardless of their political affiliation.
According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State, there are more than 1.4 million independent voters across the state. This includes nearly 1.1 million who have registered with no affiliation and an additional 320,000 that are registered with a minor party.
Supporters of the bill note that especially during municipal elections, which are focused on local and non-federal statewide races, non-affiliated voters are shut out of choices for local officials that are often determined in the primary.
As an example, independent voters in Philadelphia are not eligible to vote for the contentious District Attorney contest between Larry Krasner and Pat Dugan.
Largest PA Counties w/Voters Registered With No Affiliation
An August 2024 poll from Franklin & Marshall’s Center for Public Opinion and Research found that in a survey of 920 Pennsylvania voters, more than three-quarters (77%) favored primary elections that allow registered independent voters to participate in the primary election of their choice. And 3-in-10 (31%) said that allowing independents to vote in open primaries would make them likely to change their party registration.
In an op-ed in the Greensburg Tribune-Review, Ed Beck also laid out the case where Pennsylvania’s veterans are also finding themselves excluded from the primary process. He cites a statistic that says roughly half of all veterans nationwide are registered as independent or unaffiliated voters and, with Pennsylvania home to nearly 800,000 veterans, tens of thousands of people who wore the uniform in service to democracy are now denied a voice in shaping it.
“I no longer have a say in who governs our local schools, my township, my county or even who runs for the state Legislature,” wrote Beck.
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) was a co-sponsor on a similar bill a year ago that would allow independent voters to choose candidates, but not permit them to vote for party officers or party committee members, while also excluding third-party voters from participating in primary elections.
Her legislation did not advance and Boscola says the reason is simple.
“If you add independents into the mix, what’s that going to do for certain districts? So they look at that,” Boscola said of legislative leaders in both chambers. “In Harrisburg, maintaining control of your chamber is the most important thing.”
The next challenge is getting both chambers of the General Assembly to vote for the bill during the same session. In 2019, the Senate passed a similar proposal by a 42-8 vote
A week before the 2025 Pennsylvania municipal primary election, the House State Government Committee advanced a bill that would permit independents to vote in what has been closed primaries in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 280, sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Philadelphia), would allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, ensuring they would join Republican and Democratic voters in the selection of candidates for November general elections.
“Pennsylvania’s closed primary system is fundamentally unjust, and it’s making government at all levels worse,” said David Thornburgh, who chairs Ballot PA, the Pennsylvania-based nonpartisan effort to end closed primaries. “It’s time for the state to open our primaries and give every voter a voice.
“Come May 20, independent voters once again will be pushed aside and denied their right to cast a ballot for candidates in the primary election,” Thornburgh said. “It’s time to finally put an end to this unjust practice.”
Pennsylvania is one of nine states that completely prohibit independent voters from participating in primary elections, including Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Only members of the Republican and Democratic parties are eligible to participate to select their party’s nominee in November. This occurs despite the fact that primaries, which cost local and state governments roughly $75 million, are paid from the pockets of every Pennsylvanian regardless of their political affiliation.
According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State, there are more than 1.4 million independent voters across the state. This includes nearly 1.1 million who have registered with no affiliation and an additional 320,000 that are registered with a minor party.
Supporters of the bill note that especially during municipal elections, which are focused on local and non-federal statewide races, non-affiliated voters are shut out of choices for local officials that are often determined in the primary.
As an example, independent voters in Philadelphia are not eligible to vote for the contentious District Attorney contest between Larry Krasner and Pat Dugan.
Largest PA Counties w/Voters Registered With No Affiliation
An August 2024 poll from Franklin & Marshall’s Center for Public Opinion and Research found that in a survey of 920 Pennsylvania voters, more than three-quarters (77%) favored primary elections that allow registered independent voters to participate in the primary election of their choice. And 3-in-10 (31%) said that allowing independents to vote in open primaries would make them likely to change their party registration.
In an op-ed in the Greensburg Tribune-Review, Ed Beck also laid out the case where Pennsylvania’s veterans are also finding themselves excluded from the primary process. He cites a statistic that says roughly half of all veterans nationwide are registered as independent or unaffiliated voters and, with Pennsylvania home to nearly 800,000 veterans, tens of thousands of people who wore the uniform in service to democracy are now denied a voice in shaping it.
“I no longer have a say in who governs our local schools, my township, my county or even who runs for the state Legislature,” wrote Beck.
Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) was a co-sponsor on a similar bill a year ago that would allow independent voters to choose candidates, but not permit them to vote for party officers or party committee members, while also excluding third-party voters from participating in primary elections.
Her legislation did not advance and Boscola says the reason is simple.
“If you add independents into the mix, what’s that going to do for certain districts? So they look at that,” Boscola said of legislative leaders in both chambers. “In Harrisburg, maintaining control of your chamber is the most important thing.”
The next challenge is getting both chambers of the General Assembly to vote for the bill during the same session. In 2019, the Senate passed a similar proposal by a 42-8 vote
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