Our Primary Voice
Primaries Decide Elections
Oregon Taxpayers Fund Primary Elections
Everyone Should be Able to Vote - That is Our Primary Voice
Vision
Our Commitment to Change
Our Primary Voice believes that we have a constitutional right to participate in all publicly funded elections for our elected officials.
That may sound logical, but over 40% of Oregon voters are now excluded from choosing their representatives in government. They are excluded because they choose not to join a political party.
Oregon is one of only 14 states with a closed primary system. In Oregon, only party members can vote for partisan candidates in our primary elections. Those primary elections effectively decide the entire election.
The last time a Democrat did not hold Oregon's 3rd Congressional District was in 1955.
The last time an elected official won public office that wasn't a Democrat or Republican was in 1912.
Among Oregon's state senate seats many are in districts dominated by one of the two major political parties. In those districts, the winner of the primary election will win the general election. Yet, in many of those districts fewer than 50% are even eligible to vote in the primary. And turnout is usually HALF of those eligible. Thus, the state senators in such districts can be effectively elected by only a small percentage of the voters.
Why is this unconstitutional?
The Oregon Constitution reads (Art. II, § 2):
"Every citizen of the United States is entitled to vote in all elections not otherwise provided for by this Constitution if such citizen:
(a) Is 18 years of age or older;
(b) Has resided in this state during the six months immediately preceding the election, . . . and
(c) Is registered not less than 20 calendar days immediately preceding any election . . .."
The Oregon Constitution says every citizen can vote in every election if they meet those three qualifications. However, the Oregon legislature requires party membership to vote in the first half of the election process, namely primary elections.
Our Primary Voice has filed a lawsuit to challenge the State's unconstitutional requirement of party membership to vote in some publicly funded elections.
Initiatives
Use Your Primary Voice
Primary elections are categorized as open, open partisan, and closed.
In an open primary all voters get the same primary ballot that lists all candidates for an office regardless of party affiliation. The candidates receiving the most votes advance to the general election. One example is Alaska where all candidates for an office are listed on the same primary ballot and all voters vote for their preferred candidate. The four candidates that receive the most votes advance to the general election. Those candidates that advance may all belong to one party or four different parties depending on voter choices.
In open partisan primaries voters may choose which party's primary to vote in. In states with party registration, only non-affiliated voters may chose either party's ballot - voters registered with a party may only choose their party's ballot. In states without party registration, all voters choose which party's ballot to vote on. In both cases, a voter can only vote in one party's primary; a voter can not choose a Democrat for one office and a Republican for a different office on the same ballot. E.g., in New Hampshire, non-affiliated voters may choose the Republican ballot or Democratic ballot in the primary (and by choosing a party's ballot they become registered with that party). Republican and Democratic registered voters may only vote in their party's primary election.
Closed primaries only allow voting by voters registered as Republican or Democrat and only for candidates in their party.
Closed primary elections are unconstitutional. Under Oregon's constitution all qualified citizens are entitled to vote in all elections if they are old enough, a resident, and registered to vote. Additional qualifications on the right to vote added by the legislature violate the constitution. Our Primary Voice is asking the court to find that the requirement of party membership to vote in primary elections is unconstitutional. We believe all voters are entitled to vote in all publicly funded elections that decide who represents us in our government.
Learn
Learn about types of primary elections
If the court rules that Oregon's publicly funded closed primaries are unconstitutional, the legislature will need to decide a new structure for our elections. There are several successful examples of open primary elections in other states. For further information visit Open Primaries and Unite America
Elections
Representative Government
An ideal representative government should reflect the intent of all the voters. All voters would be informed, vote, and have their votes counted. We can't fix all the current problems with elections, but we are trying to make sure that all voters who want to vote can vote and their votes will be counted.
Primary Elections
Primary Elections Often Decide the General Election
Many districts in Oregon have a single party majority. That is, one political party has a decisive majority in a district. For example, the last time a Republican won Oregon's 3rd U.S. Congressional district was in 1955. The last time a Democrat won the XX state house district was in NNNN. These elections are decided in the primary - an election that requires party membership to vote. Effectively. all the voters who are not in the majority party are not represented by their representative in those districts.
