A week before the main election in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, the House government committee went out a law that would allow an independent vote in closed grounds in the Commonwealth.
Bill House 280sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon (D-philadelphia) would allow unfiled voters to participate in the primary elections, ensuring that they will join republican and democratic voters in the selection of candidates for common elections in November.
“The closed basic system in Pennsylvania is essentially unfair and worsens the government at all levels,” he said David Thornburghwho is presided over Ballot PaImpartial efforts based in Pennsylvania to finish the closed basics. “It is time for the state to open our basic and give each voice a voice.
“On May 20 is coming, independent voters will once again be pushed away and refused to vote for candidates in the primary elections,” said Thornburgh. “Time to finally put an end to this unfair practice.”
Pennsylvania is One of the nine states that completely prohibit independent voters From participation in the primary elections, including in Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and New York. Only members of the Republican and Democratic Parties can take part in the election of their party candidate in November. This happens despite the fact that the basic ones, which cost local and state governments, about $ 75 million, are paid from the pockets of every Pennsylvania, regardless of their political connection.
According to data from Pennsylvania, the State Department has over 1.4 million independent voters throughout the state. This covers almost 1.1 million, which registered without connections and an additional 320,000, which are registered on the small page.
Proponents of the Act note that especially during municipal elections, which focus on local and non -federal state races, voters are unrelated to the choice for local officials who are often referred to in the basic one.
For example, independent voters in Philadelphia are not entitled to vote for the controversial competition of the District Prosecutor between Larry Krasner AND Pat Dugan.
The largest poviats of PA in/voters registered without belonging
- Philadelphia (140.005)
- Allegheny (106 324)
- Montgomery (77,103)
- Bucks (64 835)
- Chester (54 476)
- York (48 554)
- Lancaster (46 397)
- Delaware (45 939)
- Lehigh (42 862)
- Berks (37 248)
Some Surpta It was found that in a survey of 920 voters in Pennsylvania over three quarters (77%) favored the basic elections that allow registered independent voters to take part in their elections. And 3-10 (31%) stated that permission to vote independently on the open foundations would probably change the party’s registration.
IN Op-ed In the Greensburg Tribune-ReviewIN Ed Beck A case was also developed in which Pennsylvania veterans are also excluded from the main process. He cites statistics, which claims that about half of all veterans in the whole country are registered as an independent or unrelated voter, and Pennsylvania home for almost 800,000 veterans, tens of thousands of people who wore a uniform in the service of democracy, currently refuses to speak.
“I have nothing to say about the one who rules our local schools, my town, my county, and even who participates in state legislation,” wrote Beck.
Senator Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) was a co-coincidence of a similar bill a year ago, which would allow independent voters to choose candidates, but did not allow them to vote for party officials or members of the party committee, while excluding third parties voters from participation in primary elections.
Her provisions did not progress, and Boscola claims that the reason is simple.
“If you add independent to the mixture, what will it do for some districts? So they look at it” Boscola said about legislative leaders in both chambers. “In Harrisburg, the most vital is control over the chamber.”
Another challenge is to encourage both chambers of the General Assembly to vote for the law during the same session. In 2019, the Senate accepted a similar proposal by voting 42-8
