Unite NY in the News: Froma Harrop: Closed primaries are a curse on our democracy
Unite NY
Columnist Froma Harrop wrote about open primaries in Shaw Local.
A group called Unite NY is pushing for open primaries as a civil rights issue. Its July 2026 Voter Empowerment Index found that two-thirds of New Yorkers favored open primaries. That would presumably include many registered Democrats.
There’s a strong legal argument for opening the primaries. The Democratic and Republican parties are both private entities. State and local governments run the primaries with taxpayer money. When independents call their boards of election to ask why they can’t vote in an important primary race, the most bureaucrats can often offer is to help them join a party so that their voice can be heard.
Read the full article here.
