FL 2018 Open Primary Referendum

Floridians have never been closer to putting an Open Primaries Referendum on the 2018 Ballot.

A Proposal to Amend Florida's Primary System was Submitted by Commissioner Bill Schifino of the Florida Constitutional Commission (CRC). Schifino’s Open Primary Proposal is now one of Six being Considered by the Full Commission, out of more than 2,000 original Proposals.

In 2016, Independent Voters who wanted to Vote in the Presidential Primaries were presented with Two Bad options: Register with a Political Party they Refused to Join or Stay Home. The Schifino Proposal will allow 3.4 Million Independent Voters, 26% of All Voters in Florida, to Cast their Ballots in either the Democratic or Republican Primary Elections without being Forced to Join a Party.

Now, all the CRC has to do is put the Measure before the Voters for Approval.

Closed Primaries are part of a Political Culture that allows Party Insiders to thrive at the expense of the People. In a Poll Co-Conducted by Progress for All, Florida Fair, and Open Primaries, 73% of Floridians, including Majorities of Republicans and Democrats, as well as Independents, supported putting an Open Primaries Measure before the Voters in November 2018.

Demographics in the State and in our Country are changing rapidly. Independents are the fastest growing segment of Voters in Florida, and some Surveys suggest more than 70% of Millennials are Independents. We risk Losing an Entire Generation of Voters if we don’t Embrace them. Democrats can’t Win Elections without Independent Voters. Right now we’re saying to them, “You’re not wanted in the primary process, but join us in the general election.” We simply can’t have it both ways.

The Unity Reform Commission, a Body created by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) at the 2016 National Convention, did not Recommend that the Democratic Party enact a 50-State Open Primaries Rule for the 2020 Presidential Contest. Regardless of State Election Law, both Political Parties could, if they wanted, Write Rules to give Every Voter in Every State the Right to cast a Ballot in the 2020 Presidential Primaries. It was a missed opportunity for Democrats to Open Doors to Independents.

Effective Political Change Requires more than Replacing Individual Politicians. Our Political system itself is Reinforcing Partisanship at ever-increasing rates. If we want to transform Politics, we have to Elect better Leaders and change how they get Elected.

The Constitution Revision Commission held Nine Public Hearings in early 2017, from Miami to the Florida Panhandle, to hear firsthand what Issues are most important to Citizens. Thousands of Floridians spoke out at the Hearings, Signed Petitions, sent Emails and made Calls to CRC Members to support an Open Primaries Referendum. Inspired by this demand, Commissioner Bill Schifino introduced his Proposal.

The CRC will be holding a Second Set of Public Hearings starting Feb. 12th. I hope everyone will attend one or more of these Hearing and urge the CRC to adopt Commissioner Schifino’s Recommendation and put an Open Primaries Referendum on the 2018 Ballot for the Voters to Approve. The Message is simple: Let the Voters Decide. That’s a Progressive value that all Floridians can get behind.

Open Primaries is a start. But it is not the final form of Primaries I want. I want to be able to Vote for the Candidates I want to, regardless of Party Affiliation. To do this, we need a Non-Partisan Single Primary, with All Candidates, including Write-Ins, for State, Local, and Federal Elections. I would use Ranked-Choice Voting to decide the Top-Three, who would go to the General Election.









NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker