Senator Lisa M. Boscola (D-Northampton) March 19 renewed her efforts to allow Independents the right to vote in primary elections by offering an amendment to Senate Bill 250 that would provide for open primaries in the Commonwealth.

“There are more independents in Pennsylvania today because so many Pennsylvanians are tired of not having issues important to them considered here in Harrisburg,” Boscola stated. “I believe there would be even more if we allowed Independents to vote in primaries. It’s time we shake things up in today’s political landscape and my amendment would shake up our state’s status quo.”

Senator Boscola is a long-standing advocate for open primaries having introduced her first bill to repeal the closed primary system in 1996 and has consistently supported efforts to allow the approximately 1.1 million unaffiliated voters in Pennsylvania the right to vote in primaries since.

This session, Boscola and Senator Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) introduced a bipartisan proposal (Senate Bill 400) to repeal closed primary elections in Pennsylvania, allowing registered voters who selected ‘none’ or ‘no affiliation’ on their voter registration form to exercise their voting rights during a primary election.

“The aim of my amendment is to dismantle the state’s closed primary system and to provide an inclusive platform for unaffiliated voters, otherwise known as independents, the full voice they deserve in the electoral process,” Boscola added. “It would send a message to this growing segment of our population, especially young voters. We see you, and we want your voice to be heard in our government.”

Boscola’s motion to amend Senate Bill 250 failed on a party-line vote with Democratic Senators voting in favor and Republican Senators voting against.

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