Question 1

What Do Independent Voters Want?

Accepted Answer

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: 87% of Independents Believe They Don’t Get It
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ohrx6YLytE868LR3VEmdZIvtSVwt9uiM/view)A 2018 national survey of nearly 5,000 independent voters — including Maryland residents — reveals why so many Americans reject party labels and how independents feel about political representation, the media, and elected officials.

Confronting a New Reality: Independents Speak Out (2020)
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jqa5oeVu7l2bHB0fT5wIgBWkbpYVP-iw/view)Independent voters share how and why they became unaffiliated, what polarization looks like in their communities, and how they view partisanship during national crises.

Independents Open to a New Kind of Party
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/144ne6SMxn9V78SHQgb4xVKxxskk7rsYI/view)Survey results showing that many independents would support a new political party — but only one built on inclusion, transparency, and collaboration rather than ideology.

Question 2

Crossover Voting: Fact or Myth?

Accepted Answer

Analysis of Crossover and Strategic Voting (June 2010) (https://web.archive.org/web/20100625234325/http://polmeth.wustl.edu/media/Paper/alvar99b.pdf)— Michael Alvarez & Johnathan Nagler
This research shows that crossover voting is rare and has minimal impact. The difference between open and closed primaries is statistically insignificant.

The REAL “Operation Chaos” (https://www.independentvotersmd.org/chaos)— John Opdyke (2000)
Debunks the long-standing myth that open primaries invite sabotage, showing that fears of crossover voting are largely unfounded.

Question 3

What Do Maryland Legislators Think?

Accepted Answer

In August 2024, Let Us Vote MD surveyed Maryland state legislators about open primaries and ranked-choice voting.
Their responses — and non-responses — revealed much about how elected officials view voting reform.
Read the summary and explore their individual statements here.(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R6EJFqnZ7LVzy2X8MH0IffxqY6IlL1L5/view)

Question 4

Research on the Benefits of Open Primaries

Accepted Answer

Evaluating California’s Top-Two Primary (USC Schwarzenegger Institute)
(https://schwarzenegger.usc.edu/evaluating-californias-top-two-primary-political-reforms-in-california/)Findings show candidates elected through open primaries are more bipartisan and responsive to independent voters.

Electoral Institutions and Legislative Behavior (Alvarez & Sinclair, 2012)
(https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1065912911411098)This study found legislators from nonpartisan open primaries were more collaborative and centrist, suggesting open systems reduce polarization.

Question 5

Why It Matters: Open vs. Closed Primaries

Accepted Answer

Why Competition in the Politics Industry Is Failing America (https://www.hbs.edu/competitiveness/Documents/why-competition-in-the-politics-industry-is-failing-america.pdf)— Gehl & Porter
Analyzes how America’s political duopoly limits innovation and problem-solving — and how open primaries could restore healthy competition.

Jared Diamond: How Democracy Ends & Why Stupidity Is Conquering the World
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1340s&v=gzkc2bEMMHk&feature=youtu.be)Warns that polarization and exclusionary elections threaten democracy itself.

Polarization Is Destroying Democracy — and We Can Do Something About It! (https://sauerburger.org/polarization.html)—(https://sauerburger.org/polarization.html) by Dona Sauerburger
Explores how compromise sustains democracy and what citizens can do to reduce division.

Question 6

Support for Open Primaries in Maryland

Accepted Answer

League of Women Voters of Maryland — Position on Open Primaries (2018)
(https://www.lwvmd.org/primary_elections)After a two-year study, the LWVMD officially changed its position to support open primaries.

Report (https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/lwvmaryland/pages/127/attachments/original/1505415787/Primary_Election_Fact_Sheet.pdf?1505415787)and Background Materials ((https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/lwvmaryland/pages/127/attachments/original/1505509988/Primary_Study_Background_Materials.pdf?1505509988)2016–2018)
An in-depth look at how closed primaries limit local participation and how open primaries promote fairness.

Party Control in Maryland’s County Governments
(https://www.independentvotersmd.org/facts#countydom)Examines how dominant party structures in some counties restrict competition and voter choice.

Question 7

Op-Eds and Editorials

Accepted Answer

Baltimore Sun (Dec 22, 2024) (https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/12/22/let-unaffiliated-voters-participate-in-marylands-primaries-guest-commentary/)—(https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/12/22/let-unaffiliated-voters-participate-in-marylands-primaries-guest-commentary/) “Let Unaffiliated Voters Participate in Maryland’s Primaries”
By Boyd K. Rutherford, former Lt. Governor of Maryland

Baltimore Sun (Aug 8, 2024) (https://www.independentvotersmd.org/post/read-the-op-ed-from-let-us-vote-md-executive-director-melanie-combs-dyer-in-the-august-8th-baltimore)—(https://www.independentvotersmd.org/post/read-the-op-ed-from-let-us-vote-md-executive-director-melanie-combs-dyer-in-the-august-8th-baltimore) “Maryland Must Open Primaries to All Voters”
By Melanie Combs-Dyer, Chair of Let Us Vote MD

Baltimore Banner (June 10, 2025) (https://www.thebanner.com/opinion/jared-littmann-rhonda-pindell-charles-democrats-QMTPJ74RTJFVHNA4IUO2JV4ONU/?schk=YES&rchk=YES&utm_source=The+Baltimore+Banner&utm_campaign=c7aa270d8d-NL_AMSC_20250610_0700&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-c7aa270d8d-638133139&mc_cid=c7aa270d8d)— “The Next Annapolis Mayor Should Call a Vote on Changing Local Elections”
By Rick Hutzell, columnist for The Baltimore Banner

Baltimore Sun (Nov 21, 2025) (https://www.independentvotersmd.org/post/read-the-op-ed-from-let-us-vote-md-executive-director-melanie-combs-dyer-in-the-august-8th-baltimore)—(https://www.independentvotersmd.org/post/read-the-op-ed-from-let-us-vote-md-executive-director-melanie-combs-dyer-in-the-august-8th-baltimore) “It’s past time to reform Maryland’s primary elections” 
By LILY QI

Question 8

More Information and Research

Accepted Answer

Open Primaries (national organization)
 Partnering with Independent Voters of Maryland, this national nonprofit advocates for open and nonpartisan primary systems and provides research, data, and case studies at openprimaries.org. (https://openprimaries.org/)

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