The Pa/ State House voted on Tuesday to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections for candidates for public office. They would still be barred from voting for internal state party offices like committee members. The bill passed 115-88 and goes on to the state senate.
How did members of the Lehigh Valley delegation vote?
Voting Yes were Bob Freeman (D - Pa. 136), Steve Samuelson (D - Pa. 135), Mike Schlossberg (D - Pa. 132), Pete Schweyer (D. Pa. 134), Ana Tiburcio (D - Pa. 22), and Joe Emrick (R - Pa.137)
Voting No were Ann Flood (R- Pa. 138), Milou Mackenzie (R - Pa. 131) and Zach Mako (R- Pa. 183) and Gary Day (R- Pa. 187)
Opening primaries is one way to assure that everyone has a say. Currently, 44% of voters nationwide consider themselves independents. It will also result in more moderate party nominees.
Currently, 20 states have open primaries in which members of one party can choose to vote in another party's primary. Pennsylvania's proposed law would only allow unaffiliated voters to choose to vote as a Democrat or Republican.
UPDATED 11:12 AM - In the original version, I had Gary Day as a Yes and was mistaken.
Gary Day voted no according to the website?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.palegis.us/house/roll-calls/summary?sessYr=2025&sessInd=0&rcNum=1377
Although I agree with opening primaries, one downside is that campaigns would cost more since candidates would have to promote themselves to a larger voting bloc.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm reading your post correctly this is just another half ass bill by a half ass congress. Should be able to vote for the person, not the party.
ReplyDeleteHat tip to those who voted no. Our elections are dirty and not secure. No more pathways to cheating. Pass voter ID and take another look. I still get absentee ballots for my mom who died in 2017. And yes, she continues to vote. I love you, Mom.
ReplyDeleteThe primaries should be open. 44% of the voters are being denied the right to vote. People are fed up with both parties!
ReplyDeleteThe right is not denied. It is forfeited.
DeleteThey should not be allowed to cross-over in Primary's and if your party doesn't have a candidate...tough shit. This is another way for rigging and fixing elections. As an Independent you vote for the weakest D so in the General you get the weakest candidate to face your strongest R, and vice versa. If you don't have a candidate running in the primary then you don't get to vote. Is this also going to apply to the Green Party, or the Communist Party etc.????? You get your chance to cross over in the General Election. It shouldn't be both ways.
ReplyDeleteThere’s an easy way to vote in a primary election.
ReplyDeleteRegister as a member of a party.
This law could clear the way for people to change their registration just to try to elect the weaker candidate of the opposition party.
But there are only two party choices and they both suck.
DeleteThis is so much Baloney. If you give the right for a Registered Independent to vote in a Republican or Democratic Primary, why then can't I as a Republican do the same or as a Democrat why can't I vote outside my party. I didn't tell the person to rebel against the system by registering Independent. If the Independent party puts up a slate of candidates, will I be able to leave my party and vote in the independent party election?
ReplyDeletetwo thumbs up
DeleteWhy does the public fund a primary election if 44% of voters can't vote? Let the parties fund the primary elections.
ReplyDeleteThis will help nominating better candidates, since it will make them work harder & vote more mainstream. Candidates won't cater so much to the fringe elements of their Party.
ReplyDeleteThis is just another one of those "for show" votes...neither party wants open primaries, so the Dem House pushes the bill, knowing the Repub Senate will not move it, and they get to campaign on supporting the idea, and runs ads against those who oppose....so independents think the people who voted "yes" are on their side, when they are not....
ReplyDelete