A closed primary is logical, rational, and sensible!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

CLOSED PRIMARIES ARE FAIR!

by Steve Fair

 

     There are three types of political primary elections: open, closed and blanket(jungle).  In an open primary, each voter, regardless of Party affiliation, determines which Party’s primary they want to vote in.  Republicans can vote in Democrat primaries and Democrats can vote in Republican primaries.  In a closed primary, only voters registered in the Party can vote in the Party primary.  Republicans vote for Republicans- Democrats vote for Democrats.  In the blanket/jungle primary, all candidates, regardless of Party affiliation, are on the same ballot and all voters, regardless of Party affiliation, vote on the same ballot.

     Oklahoma Republicans have a closed primary system.  Oklahoma Democrats have a semi-open primary.  They allow Independents, but not Republicans, to vote in their primary.  

     An Oklahoma group plans to circulate an initiative petition to let voters decide if they want to go to a blanket or jungle primary.  Oklahoma United claims the current system disenfranchises voters and by changing the primary process elected officials would be accountable to all voters, not just those in their Party. 

Three observations:

     First, open primaries promote deceit.  If GOP voters could vote in the Democratic primary or visa versa, the temptation to use that vote to pick the weakest general election opponent exists.  That is playing with their vote.  They don’t really support the candidate and their stance on the issues.  By voting for the weakest candidate in the other Parties’ primary, they help their Party and candidate.  A person’s vote should be considered sacred and shouldn’t be trifled with.  Political hacks may view voting as a simple numbers game and treat the vote in a causal and frivolous way, but true patriots don’t play with their vote.  We have enough chicanery in politics, without open primaries.

     Second, blanket primaries promote confusion.  The Republican Party dominates voter affiliation in Oklahoma.  Every statewide elected official is Republican.  All federal elected officials are Republican.  Republicans hold super majorities in both chambers of the legislature.  The likely result of a blanket/jungle primary would be two Republicans running against each other in the general election.  The major difference in the jungle and a closed primary is the more liberal, middle of the road Republican would prevail, resulting in a less conservative Oklahoma government.   Because the voting pool would include liberals, the more liberal of the Republicans would win.  The only people not confused by the blanket/jungle primary are the liberals.  Their goal is to wrest control from conservatives in the state and a blanket primary is just a tool to get that done.

     Third, closed primaries are fair.  It’s not unfair to exclude those unwilling to align/join/position with an organization to not have a voice in how the organization makes decisions.  Churches don’t allow non-members to vote on their clergy.  Civic clubs don’t let non-members vote in elections for their officers.  No one considers that unfair, because it isn’t.  If a voter wants to vote in the Republican primary, register Republican.  It’s that simple. 

     Why would a political Party want those who are not outside their Party help select their nominee?  Because they are losing elections!  For decades, Democrats in Oklahoma held closed primaries and it wasn’t an issue, because they dominated elections and Oklahoma government for over a century.  That view changed when Oklahoma voters aligned with their values and changed their Party affiliation and Republicans started winning.

     A closed primary allows each political Party to determine their own nominee, not outsiders, and the nominees meet in the general.  A closed primary is logical, rational, and sensible.  Out of state liberals are expected to pour millions into the initiative petition process to get it on the ballot.  Republicans- don’t sign it!  It wouldn’t unite Oklahoma, it would divide.