Independent voters file Commonwealth Court lawsuit to end closed primaries in Pa.
A group of five independent voters including political commentator Michael Smerconish filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a Pennsylvania court to end the commonwealth’s bar against independent voters participating in primary elections.
Under Section 2812 of the Election Code, people who are not registered as members of the two major political parties cannot vote in partisan primaries.
The group, which also includes David Thornburgh, chairman of Ballot PA Action and son of former Gov. Dick Thornburg, argues the provision is unconstitutional.
It violates the right “to cast an equally weighted vote” and to “have an equal opportunity to translate votes into representation,” enshrined in the Free and Equal Elections Clause of the state Constitution, the lawsuit claims.
https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/independent-voters-file-commonwealth-court-lawsuit-to-end-closed-primaries-in-pa/