SQ#835 removes all rules in the primary!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

LAW OF THE JUNGLE!

by Steve Fair

 

      Political Parties hold primary elections to determine their nominees for the general election.  There are four types of primaries: Open, which means anyone can vote in a Party’s primary election regardless of Party affiliation. Closed, which means only those registered in the Party can vote in the Party’s primary.   Semi-closed, which means those registered in the Party and Independent voters can vote in the primary.  Jungle, which means all candidates, regardless of Party affiliation, run against each other at once.  The top two then go to the general election.

     In November, a group called Oklahoma United (OU) announced a plan to eliminate Oklahoma’s closed primary system and replace it with a primary where candidates would run on one primary ballot with their Party affiliation listed by their name.  All registered voters would vote regardless of Party affiliation and the top two would move to the general election.  Oklahoma United believes the Sooner state’s current primary system ‘disenfranchises’ the 480,000 Okies registered Independent and aren’t fair.  They point out that Oklahoma’s voter turnout is dismal and ranks near the bottom in the U.S.    

     The proposal requires a change to the Oklahoma State Constitution and would have to be approved by voters.  OU is attempting to gather signatures to get it on the ballot.  If they are successful, it would likely be on the 2026 general election ballot as State Question #835.  Three observations:

     First, the current system is logical and fair.  Voters registered in a political Party have the right and responsibility to select their nominee.  If a voter wants to be involved in the primary, they should align with their values and affiliate/register with the Party consistent with their convictions.  That is sensible and rational.  The Baptists don’t allow the Methodists to vote on calling their pastor.  The Rotarians don’t open their officer elections to the Ambucs.  Letting those who aren’t willing to align philosophically with the Party to have a voice in who represents the Party makes zero sense.

     Second, the Oklahoma United proposal is a jungle primary.  OU is positioning/marketing SQ#835 as an open primary proposal, but it’s a Cajun (Louisiana) style jungle primary.  Jungle primaries promote ‘vote-splitting.’  That is where the Party with the most candidates in the primary are more likely to lose because the vote is spilt.  Supporters of a jungle primary believe it helps more moderate candidates get elected, but there is no clear evidence that is the case. OU’s proposal ‘disenfranchises’ the current engaged/active voter.  It seeks to increase low information voter turnout and dilute the knowledgeable grassroots voter influence in elections.  

   Third, citizen engagement is the solution.  If more Oklahomans paid attention to their government, voter turnout would improve.  Political Party leaders spend more time infighting than educating voters.  If Party leaders would commit to schooling Oklahomans on what is happening in OKC and in their local county courthouse, voter apathy would vanish.  Pedagogy isn’t as fun as taking photos with celebrities and attending glitzy events, but making lasting change is rarely amusing.

     Rudyard Kipling wrote, ‘the law of the jungle,’ is to survive.  Anything goes in the jungle.  SQ#835 seeks to remove all the rules and impose the law of the jungle in Oklahoma.  Don’t sign the initiative petition.  Don’t try to fix what isn’t broke.