The voter deposits post voting in Drop Box in front of the CHESTER Government Center on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 (Capital-Star/Peter Hall)
When the Independence Hall in Philadelphia is a background, the group announced on Tuesday that they submitted a petition for a state state for the decision of the Act on primary elections in Pennsylvania, they are unconstitutional.
“We talk to seven judges of the Supreme Court in Pennsylvania and we try to convince them that the exclusion of independent elections from primary elections is not only unfair in a unclear, moral sense, but that it violates the constitution of Pennsylvania,” he said David Thornburgh, chairman PA voting actionThe coalition was aimed at annulment of closed basic rights.
Thornburgh, along with Michael Smerconish, a long -term host of political television and radio, Jeffer, the owner of the grocery store, and Rachel Shanok, a physiotherapist, submitted a petition of the king, which goes directly to the Supreme Status.
Pennsylvania, a house for about 1.4 million people registered as independent, unrelated or members of the third page, is one of at least nine states that do not allow independent voters to participate in the basic elections. This means that voting in the party must be registered in this particular political party.
“If we are successful, the current act will be considered unconstitutional, and therefore will be non -functional, and this will immediately mean that independent can vote in the basic parties,” said Shanin Specter, Co -founding partner, Kline & Specter PC, a legal company representing the group. “Republican, democratic, green, constitution, libertarian, anything.”
“The legislator would freely create other potential voting programs, but such a program would have to protect the right of independent voting in the primary elections and … this is the core of what we are looking for,” added Specter.
He also noted that 15% of the state electorate is registered independent in Pennsylvania. In 1937, when this law was adopted, this number was only 3%.
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Strengthening the point, Smerconish, a republican who became independent questionnaire This will say 43% of Americans identifying as independent.
“When independent cannot vote in the primary elections, I think we all suffer because our missing voice is often one of the moderation,” said Smerconish. “We live in very polarizing times and I strongly believe that when independent voices are excluded from the nomination process, we support the creation of extremes at both ends of the political spectrum.”
“And a system would be better that forces the candidates to appeal to the wider cross-section of the main voters, including those from which the compromise is not a dirty word,” he added.
Electoral turnout in Pennsylvania seemed lower in 2025. than the previous two original elections outside of the year. Proponents of reforming the basic provisions of the state believe that they are opening them Registered independent will boost the attendance of voters.
Jeremy Gruber He is the senior vice president of Open Primary, the National Organization of the Election Reformation devoted to opening basic elections in the whole country independent voters. He said that the population of voting of 14 states is less than the total number of registered independent voters in Pennsylvania.
He claimed that this is a crisis for voting rights that an independent independent must not vote in the basics.
“Today, the largest and fastest group of voters is discriminated against and excluded by the basic ones,” said Gruber. “This case submitted today is in line with the long history of the dispute: from the choice of women through the era of civil rights to contemporary, the history of voice rights in the United States is intertwined with a court that served as a key catalyst for the evolution of regulations by emphasizing discriminatory practices and transferring reforms.”
“Almost every reform of voice rights she has ever taken over in this country began with a case like this,” he added.
Why the king’s petition?
He submitted the king’s petition, the group is able to bypass the normal course of the court dispute by the lower courts.
“Ultimately, it must be the Supreme Court in Pennsylvania, which makes a decision to recognize the unconstitutional current Act and there is no reason to wait,” said Specter. “There is no reason for the lower court to decide this problem, the case will be finally resolved in the Supreme Court in Pennsylvania and should do it as soon as possible.”
Specter admitted that the Supreme Court may refuse to accept the king’s petition, which would make an action to the Court of the Nations Community. He said that the lost page “will undoubtedly like” and thinks that there is “very, very, very, very, great chance” that the judges will accept this appeal.
It is not clear how quickly you can issue a ruling.
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Open Primary supporter announces an objection to the petition
The Committee of the Seventy Government Group of Reforms was a leading voice in Pennsylvania, which was in the state of closed primary elections.
However, they oppose the efforts of making this change with the assist of the king’s petition, arguing that although it is “well intended”, “the wrong approach is currently the solution to this many years of problem.”
“All voters should be able to participate in all elections, but the realization that reality is in the hands of the legislator,” a committee released from a statement on Tuesday. “We fully respect the rule of law and separation of power established by our constitutions.”
Thornburg, who He conducted an organization for several years But he moved aside as a CEO in 2022, he argued that they had been working on this problem for six and a half years and now there is the right time to go forward. He also noticed that they were asking the court for a decision on his constitutionality, and eventually returned to the legislator if they agree.
“And the legislator can choose any number of ways to solve the problem if you want,” said Thornburgh.
Open the main author calls the “historical” claim
State Rep. Jared Solomon (D-Hiladelphia) He was the author of the rules This would allow unrelated voters to participate in democratic or republican basic, but would not allow third party voters. Issued a statement to support the trial.
“As one of the last states in the country with the first basic, opening of our main election system is the issue of voting rights of our time here in Pennsylvania,” said Solomon. “This historical lawsuit seriously treats this fundamental right to vote and gives a vote of 1.4 million voters from Pennsylvania, whose tax dollars pay for the elections from which they are cut off.”
