HB976 would let registered voters with no political party affiliation vote in primary elections.
The House passed HB976 on October 21, 2024, by a vote of 111 to 91. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill would weaken election integrity in Pennsylvania by creating “open primaries.” Primary elections are intended to be the means by which members of political parties choose their own nominees for public office ahead of general elections. In an “open primary,” on the other hand, any registered voter is permitted to vote in any political party’s primary election. This wreaks havoc on the elections process by allowing a candidate to potentially win their party’s nomination without the support of a plurality of their party. “Open primaries” thus prevent freedom of association by denying members of political parties the right to choose from among themselves the candidates who they deem best represent their platforms and principles. Rather than improve upon the current two-party system in America, “open primaries” only promise to dismantle traditional primary elections in favor of establishing a “uniparty” with no real opposition.