Rumblings about a possible change to Ohio's primary system
Some in the Ohio Legislature are pushing to make Ohio a closed primary state. Currently, you can take any ballot you want when you vote in a primary. According to a cleveland.com article published on September 12, 2025, about 71% of registered voters are unaffiliated, or not associated with any party. A change to the primary system would prevent all of these voters from voting in a primary election.
Primaries already are burdened by low turnout, with higher participation by the most partisan voters. These characteristics, coupled with heavily gerrymandered voting districts, mean that the most extreme candidates usually win the primary, and also win the November general election. Closing the primary would exacerbate a bad situation.
Please be on the lookout for action steps if this issue is introduced in the Legislature. And please be willing to write letters to the editor, and call and text your representative when the need arises. Thank you!
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