BOISE, Idaho — Open Primaries supporters claim to have more than 70 thousand signatures to get the issue on the November ballot.
- Idahoans for Open Primaries says 270,000 Idaho independents don't get to vote in closed primaries.
- The group's goal is to create a non-partisan primary system that's open to all voters.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
The politics of politics is about to be superseded by the will of the people.
Removing Idaho’s closed primary system will likely be on the November 24th ballot and GOP chair Dorothy Moon says it’s bad for Idaho.
“When you look at some of the republicans that working with the democrats to do that and open our primary, I think it’s wrong. Either you're gonna' be a republican and follow the republican platform or else you know what maybe you need to find a different party,” said Moon.
The GOP just finished holding a presidential caucus, where the ability to take part was clearly an issue.
"I figured it'd be open till maybe 6 (p.m.). I come back and it'd closed at 2," said one frustrated voter.
"I have the paper at home it said it started at 12 p.m. and never said when it ended... so I'm like how are we supposed to vote?" said another.
Former Idaho Supreme Court justice Jim Jones says Idaho’s closed primary system blocks 270,000 independent voters in the state from voting, unless they join a political party.
“I think we’re going to get the open primaries initiative on the ballot. It's got almost enough signatures now and that will be the death nail of the crazy branch of the Republican Party,” said Jones.
But even if the ballot measure is successful, Jones says the battle will be far from over.
“Next legislative session, they’re going to do everything they can to kill it and we’re working toward a strategy to prevent that,” said Jones.
Idahoans for open primaries says it has more than 70,000 signatures statewide. By law, they need just 63,000 signatures and must qualify in 18 legislative districts to get on the ballot.
According to Idahoans for Open Primaries, they have another six weeks to get the 100,000 signatures that it has set for its ultimate goal. They say they have enough signatures right now in 17 legislative districts and are close in three other districts.
