With fewer competitive House races and a new redistricting arms race underway, voters need more choices – not fewer.

According to the Cook Political Report, only 35 of this year’s 435 House races are considered competitive. In the other 400, the general election is merely a formality. These 92% of districts are so red or blue that whoever wins the primary is guaranteed a victory in November. 

And now, there are signs the problem could get worse. Time reported this week that Democrats are preparing redistricting efforts in as many as 13 states before 2028, with the goal of redrawing congressional lines to secure more House seats. Axios separately reported that Forward Majority, a Democratic super PAC, is planning to spend $30 million on state legislative races this year because control of just a handful of statehouse seats could help determine who controls future congressional maps. 

That is the danger of America’s current system. When politicians can draw safe districts for themselves, they face less pressure to answer to the broad electorate – and more pressure to cater to the most partisan voters in their own party. 

As if that weren’t bad enough, many states actively block independents – the plurality of Americans, per Gallup – from voting primary elections.  

Some states are trying to reform their primary systems to be more inclusive, but others are moving in the wrong direction. Louisiana, for example, recently repealed their gold-standard non-partisan primary for a system seen by many as designed to defeat Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, simply because he put the country’s interests before his party’s. (Unfortunately, the scheme worked and Senator Cassidy lost his primary). 

That is why the rules governing U.S. House and Senate primaries matter so much. In too many places, the election that effectively decides who goes to Congress happens months before November – and millions of voters are still left out of it. 

Who Gets a Say in Congressional Primaries? 

Closed Primaries (17 states) 

17 states have closed primaries. In order to participate in a party’s primary, voters must be registered with that party. 

• Connecticut 

• Delaware 

• Florida 

• Illinois 

• Indiana 

• Iowa 

• Kentucky 

• Maryland 

• Nevada 

• New Jersey 

• New York 

• Ohio 

• Oklahoma 

• Oregon 

• Pennsylvania 

• Tennessee 

• Wyoming 

Open Primaries (15 states) 

15 states have fully open primaries, where voters may choose to participate in either major party’s primary without being required to register with that party. Voters may not vote in more than one party’s primary. 

• Alabama 

• Arkansas 

• Georgia 

• Hawaii 

• Michigan 

• Minnesota 

• Mississippi 

• Missouri 

• Montana 

• North Dakota 

• South Carolina 

• Texas 

• Vermont 

• Virginia 

• Wisconsin 

Open to Independents (10 states) 

Ten states allow independents to vote in either major party’s primary, but registered Democrats and Republicans may not cross over into the other party’s primary. These are sometimes called semi-open primaries. 

• Arizona 

• Colorado 

• Louisiana 

• Maine 

• Massachusetts 

• Nebraska 

• New Hampshire 

• New Mexico 

• North Carolina 

• Rhode Island 

Non-Partisan Primaries (3 states) 

Three states use non-partisan primaries, sometimes called “jungle” primaries. All candidates appear on the same ballot, and all voters are welcome to participate. The top two (or four, in Alaska’s case) candidates, regardless of party advance to the general election. 

• Alaska 

• California 

• Washington 

Varies by Party (5 states) 

Five states allow parties to set their own primary rules, so one major party may allow independents to participate while the other does not. In all five of these cases, the Democratic Party allows independents while the Republican Party does not. 

• Idaho 

• Kansas 

• South Dakota 

• Utah 

• West Virginia 

Where the Rules Could Change 

Ballot Measures (3 states) 

Three states could see their congressional primary systems changed directly by voters. Alaska’s proposal is already on the ballot, Massachusetts and Nevada are still working through the signature process needed to qualify before voters decide. 

Alaska 

Alaska currently uses a top-four nonpartisan primary for state and federal races, followed by ranked-choice voting in the general election. The 2026 ballot measure would repeal that system and return the state to semi-open partisan primaries. 

Massachusetts 

Massachusetts’ primaries are currently open to independents. The proposed ballot measure would implement a non-partisan primary where the top two candidates advance to the general election, like California’s system. Organizers have until June 17 to collect 12,429 signatures to get on the November ballot. 

Nevada 

Nevada currently has closed primaries. A proposed constitutional amendment would create a right for voters to participate in publicly funded elections without being required to affiliate with a party, leading to fully open primaries. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it would need to pass in both 2026 and 2028 before taking effect. 

 

Legislation 

Not every primary reform needs to go directly to voters. In many states, legislatures can change primary rules through the normal lawmaking process: pass a bill through both chambers and send it to the governor. The bills below would change their states’ congressional primary systems without needing a statewide referendum. 

Delaware 

HB 188, sponsored by Rep. Michael Smith, a Republican, would move Delaware from closed primaries to open to independents. Registered Democrats and Republicans still would not be allowed to cross over into the other party’s primary. The bill has been reported out of committee and is now eligible for House floor action. Delaware’s regular session ends June 30.
 

Pennsylvania 

HB 280, sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon, a Democrat, would open the state’s primaries to independent voters. The bill was reported out of the House State Government Committee on May 13, 2025, but was laid on the table the same day, so it is technically still pending but not actively moving. Pennsylvania’s two-year legislative session ends November 30. 

Ohio 

SB 382, sponsored by Sen. Louis Blessing, a Republican, would create a top-two non-partisan primary system. All candidates would run on the same ballot, and the top two would advance to the general election. The bill was introduced in March 2026 and referred to the Senate General Government Committee, where it is awaiting further action.
 

New York 

A00090, sponsored by Assemblymember Robert Carroll, a Democrat, would create non-partisan ranked-choice primaries for federal races, excluding president, as well as state and local races. All candidates would appear on one ballot, all voters could participate regardless of party, and ranked-choice tabulation would continue until two candidates remain for the general election. The bill was referred to the Assembly Election Law Committee in January 2026 and has not received a floor vote. New York’s regular session is scheduled to end June 10. 

Congress 

At the federal level, the bipartisan Let America Vote Act by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Jared Golden would require all states to let independents vote in primaries for federal offices. The bill was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and Congress has until January 3 to pass it.  

 

America’s electoral system is already too closed, too partisan and too disconnected from the voters it is supposed to serve. When only a small fraction of House races are truly competitive, the primary often becomes the only election that matters. And when independents are shut out of those primaries, millions of voters are denied a meaningful voice in choosing who represents them. 

Primary reform is one of the clearest ways to push back. Opening primaries to more voters, adopting nonpartisan systems and giving independents a real voice would make elections more competitive and force candidates to appeal beyond the narrowest slice of their party.