Independent Voters Now Officially Locked Out of May 20 Races; Open Primary Campaign Passes Half-way Mark

Citizens urged to use new e-signature option on Internet to help end closed, party-member-only primary elections

PORTLAND, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- April 29 marks the official deadline for independent voters to change their registration status in order to participate in the May 20 party primary elections. Meanwhile, the Oregon Open Primary Campaign (http://www.oneballot.com/) announced that it has collected more than 60,000 signatures and is more than half-way to its goal of placing its initiative on the November 2008 ballot.

"Today is a vivid reminder of why this change is so important," said Phil Keisling, former Oregon Secretary of State and chief petitioner for the initiative. "We are well on our way to giving Oregon citizens a historic chance to change their election system, to stop paying for closed, party-member-only primaries for key offices, so that every voter can vote for the best candidate, at every election, regardless of party registration or lack thereof."

Both the Democratic and Republican parties have enacted rules that prohibit registered independents and unaffiliated voters from voting in their closed, party-member-only primary elections. Under Oregon law, the deadline for changing one's non-affiliated registration status to participate in a party primary is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29.

The initiative requires 82,579 valid signatures in order to be certified for the November ballot. Supporters of Oregon Open Primary aim to submit more than 120,000 total signatures by the July 3 deadline.

Former Secretary of State Norma Paulus, another chief supporter of this reform, also touted a new method of collecting signatures -- online. "For the first time in Oregon history, citizens can use the Internet to -- well, change Oregon history," Paulus observed. "Citizens need only print out a special e-signature petition form and mail it back to us."

Petitions for the Open Primary campaign can be downloaded from the campaign website at http://www.oneballot.com/. "We're also urging supporters to then copy the link and send emails to family members, friends, colleagues and fellow citizens," Paulus noted. "And of course, we're hoping those recipients will then do the same, and so on and so on."

The Open Primary would replace the current closed, party-member-only system with one that gives every voter the same ballot, containing the names of all candidates running for offices now elected on a partisan basis, including U.S. Senate, Governor and State legislator. Voters would then choose whoever they think is best -- regardless of their party registration status, or the candidates' -- and the top two vote-getters regardless of party affiliation would then advance to the general election ballot.

Because no party is guaranteed a spot on the November ballot, the new Open Primary would be immune to voters trying to "game the system" by crossing over to help choose a weak or extreme opposition candidate, because their preferred choice would literally risk not making the run-off.

A December 2007 survey by Davis Hibbitts and Midghall found overwhelming public support for the Open Primary reform. Every major demographic group, in all corners of Oregon, strongly supported the idea, including Democrats (68%), Republicans (62%) and "others" (74%).

So-called "independent" voters and younger voters -- who now favor "independent" status more than "Democrat" or "Republican" -- are especially supportive of the idea, Paulus noted. "And today (April 29) literally is "Lock-out Day" for these voters. Even if they were willing to officially change their registration to participate meaningfully in the May 20 party primary election, the deadline is now passed. More than 430,000 independent voters are now officially locked out -- and my guess is that most of them are pretty darn mad about it, especially because their tax dollars pay for these elections."

Keisling, a Democrat, and Paulus, a Republican, are among a long list of supporters from across the political spectrum. Other supporters include former Governors Victor Atiyeh and John Kitzhaber, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, dozens of legislators from both parties, and three former "independent" lawmakers, State Senators Avel Gordly and Ben Westlund, and State Representatives Ben Cannon, Bob Jensen and Vicki Berger.

"Oregon once was a national leader in getting to work across party lines to solve problems and create innovative policies," said Paulus. "Our current primary system rewards loyalty to special interests on the extremes, and frankly, it discourages problem-solvers from even running for office," she said.

In its major elements, the Oregon Open Primary initiative is similar to a Washington state law approved by voters in 2004, but then invalidated by several lower federal courts. However, on March 18 in a resounding 7-2 ruling, the United States Supreme Court overturned the lower court decisions and reinstated Washington's law. Washington will hold its open primary -- the first of its kind in the nation -- on August 19.

Keisling noted, however, that because the presidential primary contest legally does not involve a state office -- "literally, it's a publicly financed 'preference poll' that will help determine selection of delegates to party conventions" -- only the political parties have the legal authority to open presidential contests to independent voters. "Frankly, I think that would be a great idea -- and prior to the 2012 presidential primary cycle, taxpayers might want to tell the parties that without such a change, they can go ahead and pay for the election on their own," said Keisling.

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Source: Oregon Open Primary Campaign

CONTACT: Chris Beck for Oregon Open Primary Campaign, +1-503-239-3808

Web site: http://www.oneballot.com/

2008-04-29 17:30:53 0348411 PRNEWSWIRE