Utah and Idaho Republican Closed Primaries Problem for Independent Voters

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Republicans Move to Change Voter Registration Rules...For Republicans (by Bob Bernick, Utah Policy Contributing Editor) Since only Utah Republicans hold closed primaries, the party registration on primary day only applies to them. Without the law, an independent voter would have to sign up to be a Republican 30 days before the primary election, and many likely wouldn’t remember to do so. 
• Tribune: Lawmaker Wants GOP to Foot the Bill for Closed Primary (Posted by George Prentice, Boise Weekly) This morning's Lewiston Tribune reports that Lewiston Democratic Rep. John Rusche, the Idaho House minority leader, has introduced a personal bill (bypassing a committee hearing) that would require the Idaho Republican Party to "reimburse counties for any incremental election costs."

But there is recourse! Check out

Utah League of independent Voters

Independents in Utah as well as locally are an increasing force to be reckoned with. It has been said that independents are really partisans deep down masquerading covertly as infiltrators or just apathetic and undecided. We know that is not true. We certainly are not infiltrators. We are not partisans, and we are not undecided. We are decided, and we have decided to be independent! ....see more