BREAKING NEWS: INDIES HAVE THEIR SAY IN DOVER
HB 188 Advances!
In an overcrowded room in Delaware’s Legislative Hall, the House Elections and Government Affairs Committee held a hearing on HB 188, a bill to give 31% of Delaware’s voters who are independents primary voting rights.
Rep. Michael Smith introduced the bill, and kicked off the testimony sharing that the “…bill came from a groundswell from the community.” There was a heated dialogue with some Committee members who articulated decades old arguments about why open primaries are bad for the parties, despite the actual fact that most states utilize a form of open primaries.
The room was packed with over a dozen independent voters and their allies, eager to testify and share with the committee the importance of giving DE’s fastest growing community of voters the right to vote in publicly funded primaries. Despite a rather rude welcome and testimony being limited to one minute, independents made good use of their time and transformed the chemistry in the room, to be one about fundamental voting rights.
Rich Clair from Bethany Beach told the Committee, “With nearly one-third of Delaware voters listed as independents, I believe that the State is restricting a substantial share of electorate from voting during primary season and, that in so doing, the State is using public funding for those elections for a distinctly partisan purpose; party candidate selection for the general election.”
Jenifer Harris from Lewes said, “I do not believe that an American Citizen should be forced to join a political party in order to vote in a PUBLIC election. Independent voters make up 31% of voters in Delaware…. In fact, there are more independent voters in our state than registered Republicans. Yet we are denied a voice in the elections that often determine who ultimately represents us.”
The Committee heard from African American small business owner, Dexter Bland who shared that “opening the primary process would…send a clear message to Delaware that it values participation from all of its citizens.” Jose Colon, retired Air Force veteran spoke of being surprised to learn that independents could not vote in the primary, but would not belong to either party.
The Delaware League of Women Voters told the Committee that they “totally support HB 188”. In an exciting development, Andrew Bernstein of the Delaware ACLU spoke in favor of HB 188.
Jeremy Gruber, the Senior Vice President put it this way:
With a vote of 6 to 1, the Elections and Government Affairs Committee released the bill to go before the full House!
One take away — when independent voters are in the room, making a simple demand to be respected and have the right to vote, it has a profound impact.
P.S. A special shout out to the National Volunteer phone team that has been talking with independents across the state of DE for the last month. Kathy Fiess and Louie Hinman have been making sure ordinary independent Delawareans had the opportunity to make their feelings heard in the halls of the legislature. As one supporter wrote Kathy, “Thank You for the call….Just knowing there are folks out there that think like me makes me feel that there’s Hope.”
If you would like to join the team and learn to make Indie to Indie phone calls, please email cstewart@openprimaries.org.
America’s Largest Voting Bloc Demands Equal Rights
We know the numbers – 45% of Americans are independent. We are the largest and fastest-growing bloc in the electorate, outnumbering both major parties. 10,000 Americans leave the parties every week. Yet millions of independents remain locked out of full participation in the democracy their tax dollars fund: shut out of taxpayer-funded primaries, excluded from candidate selection, marginalized in polling, debates, and media narratives.
Often, the price exacted if we want to make our voices heard is to surrender our independence – this is not acceptable!
Open Primaries has released a manifesto in sync with the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding. Titled Declaration of Independents, it argues that the promises of 1776 remain unfinished as long as the largest share of voters are treated as second-class citizens.
“Voters should be equal in voice, equal in dignity, and equal in political rights,” the Declaration states. “No citizen’s participation should depend upon allegiance to a party.”
On the Fourth of July, Open Primaries will deliver the signed Declaration to the chairs of the Democratic and Republican parties and then rally independents nationwide ahead of the 2026 midterm elections
“As America nears 250 years since 1776, the promise of political equality remains unfulfilled,” the Declaration warns. “Taxation without representation is no relic—it burns as fiercely now as at the founding.”
You can sign the Declaration of Independents HERE.
Join us at a special Power Hour as we explore the Declaration of Independents and how we can use it in our work!
We need your help to bring the Declaration of Independents to life and share it with thousands of fellow independents!
Are you tired of being treated as a second class citizen? Join other independents who are investing in growing our movement and the fight for the respect and full voting rights we deserve.
POWER HOUR MARCH 16th, 6:00 – 7:30 pm ET
We’ll spend an hour and a half together to:
- Hear reports on independents are moving the needle across the country
- Share our story of why we’re independent
Take action together and explore how to use the Declaration of Independents in your state.
