In the near future, we plan to reintroduce Senate Bill 400 from the previous legislative session. This bill aims to repeal Pennsylvania’s closed primary system, enabling voters registered as independents—those who select "no affiliation" or "none" on their voter registration forms—to participate in primary elections. Specifically, it will allow these voters to choose whether to cast their ballot in the Republican or Democratic primary. 

Voters registered with either the Republican or Democratic Party will still be required to vote on their respective party’s primary ballot. 

According to a 2023 report from the Pennsylvania Department of State, 1,304,968 voters in the state are not registered with the two major political parties—a number that has grown by 73,480 since 2019. 

Currently, Pennsylvania is one of 10 states that prohibit independent voters from participating in primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Many of these independent voters include groups like veterans, who are statistically more likely to register as independents, as well as young, Latino, and Asian-American voters. 

Moreover, closed primaries represent a form of taxation without representation, as all taxpayers fund primary elections, but not all are permitted to participate. 

Please join us in co-sponsoring this critical legislation, which will grant over one million independent voters the opportunity to engage in the primary election process. Expanding access to the ballot box is an essential step toward strengthening our democracy and ensuring that all voices are heard in choosing our representatives. 
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 712 (Apr 30, 2025): P.L.1333, No.320