I “drank the Kool-Aid” on how open primaries &/or ranked choice voting can make things better. So, I’ve been investing some time in trying to get this voting reform implemented in Maryland.
Some background. There are 4 million voters in Maryland. Almost 1 million are “unaffiliated” (aka independents). That’s almost 1 out of 4 voters. Some predict that Unaffiliated voters in Maryland will soon outnumber Republican voters.
Unaffiliated’s aren’t allowed to vote in federal or state primaries in Maryland. Democrats get to pick their preferred candidate, Republicans get to pick their preferred candidate, & Unaffiliated’s don’t get a say on either.
Elections in Maryland are funded by all Maryland taxpayers. It seems unfair for Unaffiliated’s to pay for all elections but not be allowed to vote in all elections.
What’s the big deal about primaries? Primaries are perhaps more important than the general election in determining who represents us. In a state like Maryland (& most other states), most districts are overwhelmingly Blue or Red Whoever wins the primary likely wins the general election.
Some credible experts think this results in or at least aggravates hyper-partisan politics. If you are a Democrat in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, you are incented to appeal to Democrats, and not the Republicans & not the Unaffiliated’s you will represent. Same idea for Republicans in overwhelmingly Republican districts. The result is too many candidates on the far left & far right win primaries & then general elections … & too many centrists don’t. So, we end up with too many extremists in federal & state legislatures. Too often, they don’t work together on behalf of all their constituents … & don’t get anything done.
Anyway, I got involved with a small grassroots team called Independent Voters of Maryland which is trying to implement open primaries &/or ranked choice voting. One of our initiatives is to find & work with state legislators who support implementing open primaries &/or ranked choice voting. We surveyed all Maryland state legislators for their position on open primaries &/or ranked choice voting.
Here’s the press release summarizing how we did the survey and the results. Only 26 out of our 187 elected legislators had even the common courtesy to reply to a question from Maryland taxpayers and voters. Also, with 1 million Unaffiliated’s in Maryland and countless independent-minded Democrats and Republicans, less than 100 have signed a petition supporting open primaries. Hence, “Fool’s Errand” in the title.
Press Release from Independent Voters of Maryland, October 24, 2024
86% of Maryland Legislators Refuse to Share Views on Open Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting. What’s Holding Them Back?
Independent Voters of Maryland is a grassroots organization committed to advocating for electoral reform in Maryland, focusing on the implementation of Open Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Our movement seeks to create a fairer, more inclusive democracy where all voices count. With over 1 in 5 Maryland voters registered as unaffiliated — nearly 1 million voters — current primary elections exclude a significant portion of the electorate.
The Survey: On August 16, 2024, we surveyed all 47 Maryland state senators and all 140 Maryland state delegates to understand their position on these critical reforms. The survey consisted of just two simple questions and could be completed in under five minutes. We allowed six weeks for responses, sent two reminder emails, and even made follow-up phone calls. Despite our efforts, the majority of legislators chose not to engage.
The Results: The response — or lack thereof — is telling. An overwhelming 86% of legislators did not respond to our survey, leaving voters in the dark on where their representatives stand on these vital issues.
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- State Senators: 87% (41 of 47) did not respond.
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- State Delegates: 86% (120 of 140) did not respond.
The 26 responses we received, though limited, offer some insights into where the few willing to engage stand on Open Primaries and Ranked Choice Voting.
Support for Open Primaries: Of the 26 legislators who responded, the results are mixed. 61% are neutral, undecided, or supportive of Open Primaries — a sign that reform may have potential traction if more would engage. With 86% of legislators refusing to respond, the public is left wondering — could they also have an open mind?
| Position on Open Primaries | Number of Legislators | Percentage |
| Strongly Support | 0 | 0% |
| Support | 3 | 11% |
| Neutral | 4 | 15% |
| Oppose | 8 | 31% |
| Strongly Oppose | 2 | 8% |
| Declined/Undecided | 9 | 35% |
Support for Ranked Choice Voting: On the issue of Ranked Choice Voting, 77% are neutral, undecided, or supportive — a strong indication that this reform could gain momentum. With 23% opposing, the majority of respondents are at least open to discussing Ranked Choice Voting. Again, the question remains — where do the rest stand?
| Position on Ranked Choice Voting | Number of Legislators | Percentage |
| Strongly Support | 4 | 15% |
| Support | 5 | 19% |
| Neutral | 3 | 12% |
| Oppose | 5 | 19% |
| Strongly Oppose | 1 | 4% |
| Declined/Undecided | 8 | 31% |
Conclusion: The lack of response from 86% of Maryland’s legislators raises serious questions about their transparency and engagement with constituents. Marylanders deserve to know where their representatives stand on reforms that directly impact the fairness and inclusivity of elections.
What’s next? We will continue to advocate for electoral reform and keep pressing our legislators for clarity. The people of Maryland deserve answers.
Contact: If the press or public would like to discuss, request more information, or express a preference for what form of open primaries and/or ranked choice voting Maryland should implement, please contact Independent Voters of Maryland at:
open-primaries@independentvotersmd.org.
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I grew up in New England (Providence) when many cities were run by “bosses”. The bosses rewarded loyalty with jobs. There was only one party in control. No independents and no opposition.
The system eventually brought itself down. An outsider (Buddy) ran against the bosses and won, mostly because the system wasn’t working and Buddy was entertaining (not that different from 45/47). Buddy ran on an anticorruption platform, but it didn’t end well (and he later went to jail). Similar comments may hold for 45/47.
I’m not sure how to fix the system when it goes off the rails. Rank-choice voting is a reasonable thing to try, but I’m not sure it is enough to overcome bosses, loyalty and entertainment.
I do agree that a primary system that in restricted to single party membership, tends to reward the more far left or right candidates. The Ohio system, which I’m still getting use to, is an extreme opposite. In Ohio you simply register to vote, there is no question of party affiliation. Come time for a primary when you go to vote, you select either a Democrat or a Republican ballot. Your selection becomes your ‘de facto’ party affiliation until you vote in the next primary. I suspect the lack of response to your survey, is a result of not willing to change the status quo. “Why change the system, under which I got elected? I’ll just ignore that little survey.”