How Open Primaries / Rank Choice Voting Works:
➔ No “Party Affiliation” for voters when they check in. All candidates will be listed on the same ballot, Democrat, Republican, Constitutional, or Independent. All voters are given the same ballot.
➔ Voters will “rank” their candidate choices first-last rather than choosing just one on the ballot (everyone gets a trophy!) Republicans will include Democrat and independent candidates in their “ranking choices.”
➔ Voters will need to be educated on ALL candidates in all races. Not just the ones affiliated with their party of choice.
➔ Votes are tabulated in rounds. In the first round, all first choices are counted. If no candidate wins a 50% majority, the lowest vote-getter is eliminated, and ballots listing that candidate as the first choice are recast for their second choice. This process continues until one candidate exceeds 50% and is declared the winner.
➔ If voters rank some, yet not all candidates, and their preferred candidates are eliminated, their votes ultimately do not count.
➔ RCV and Open Primaries are purported to increase voter engagement.
In the May 2024 primary, Bonneville County saw a total of 16,598 votes cast by 14,850 Republican voters, 633 Democrats, 1034 Unaffiliated and 81 either Constitutional or Libertarian voters. (East Idaho Democrats currently claim a 35% “crossover” rate of those affiliated as Democrats who vote for Republican candidates with more centrist or liberal views).
➔ The tabulation process will take longer, especially if no candidate is a clear winner (over 50%) in the first round. Reporting and certification practices will be changed.
More Resources:
- The Heritage Foundation — Ranked Choice Voting Is a Bad Choice
- Idaho GOP — Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center
- Secure Idaho Elections
- Ballotpedia — Arguments for and against closed primaries