The League of Women Voters of Delaware and Indivisible Highlands and Beyond are advocating for the passage of House Bill 188 by the Delaware House of Representatives. The bill would permit voters who are not affiliated with any political party to participate in a political party’s primary. This legislation is significant because it expands access to the electoral process, allowing more citizens to have a direct impact in selecting party nominees. Currently, 31% of Delaware voters (247,000) are not affiliated with a political party and cannot vote in primary elections. This is an increase of 6% and 75,000 voters, compared to previous years. Now, independents are the largest and fastest-growing groups of voters in the country, with over 56% of young people registering as such. In fact, in Delaware, unaffiliated voters outnumber Republicans. HB 188 would allow these voters to choose whether to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary, ensuring that a broader segment of the population can engage in the democratic process to select candidates who represent their interests.
There are several compelling reasons to support HB 188. The bill is fundamentally important because it allows more voters to participate in selecting nominees for office. Often, primary elections determine the eventual officeholder, making voter access critical. Opening primaries to unaffiliated voters encourages candidates to appeal to a broader audience and promotes diversity in the electoral process. Additionally, since Delaware taxpayers fund primaries, it is only fair that all voters should have the right to vote in a primary of their choice.
Presently, there are only eight states that hold completely closed primaries. Two of these states, including Pennsylvania, are in the process of making their primaries more open.
We urge the Delaware House of Representatives to pass HB 188, to enable unaffiliated voters to participate in primaries. The electorate is changing, and it is time for Delaware to hold primaries that are more inclusive.
Bruce Dalleo
Indivisible Highland and Beyond
Jill Itzkowitz
Chair, League of Women Voters of Delaware Election Committee
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
