MY TURN: We thought closing Idaho's primaries was a good idea. We were wrong

Since 2012, when the closed primary system was introduced, nearly 300,000 independent voters in Idaho have been blocked from participating in our most important elections unless they join a political party. This means that taxpayers are funding elections that exclude a large portion of the population. It’s wrong to force anyone to pick a party just to have the chance to vote in publicly funded elections. 

As a veteran, I take this personally. Idaho is home to 160,000 military veterans, one of the highest populations, per capita, in the country. About half of those veterans prefer to be independent. We served this country to protect freedoms — one of the most important being the right to vote. But many veterans are now sidelined from primary elections simply because they don’t want to join a political party. That’s not the America we fought for. 

I was there when the decision was made to close Idaho’s primaries. At the time, many of us believed we were doing the right thing by tightening the election process. As a lifelong Republican, I hoped the system would make things clearer and help identify ideologically aligned party nominees. But as the years have passed, it’s become clear that we were wrong. The closed primary system has not benefited everyday Idahoans. Instead, it has handed control to party bosses, special interest groups, and power-grabbing party elites. 

Proposition 1, the Open Primaries Initiative, offers a chance to correct the mistakes we made by closing our primaries. It puts power back into the hands of voters — where it belongs. 

With open primaries, we can expect more accountability from our leaders. Instead of pandering to narrow party interests, candidates will have to appeal to a broader range of voters. This will help elect leaders who are focused on solving real issues, not just checking off boxes for their party bosses or big-money donors. 

The current system has allowed career politicians and party elites to cherry-pick who gets to run, often at the expense of the voices they’re supposed to serve. That’s why it’s so important that we pass Proposition 1 — it gives power back to the people, not political elites or special interest agendas. By broadening candidate appeal, we can ensure that Idaho’s leaders are more accountable to their constituents. 

We’ve already seen the unintended consequences of the closed primaries. Time and time again, the legislature has had to pass bills to fix problems that arose from the system. But no amount of band-aids can cover up the real issue. The system is broken, and it’s time for a course correction. 

Proposition 1 will not only give voters more and better choices — it will also make politicians more accountable to the people they serve, rather than party insiders. It’s a common-sense solution that will shift power away from out-of-state interests and back to Idahoans. 

We have an opportunity to fix our mistake. By voting YES on Proposition 1, we can open up our primaries and ensure that every voter has a say in the direction of our state. Idaho deserves better than a system that sidelines voters and serves special interests. It’s time to do better — and with Proposition 1, we can. 

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Marv Hagedorn is a retired Navy Chief Warrant Officer who served from 1974 to 1994. With 12 years of service in the Idaho State Legislature, including roles in the House and Senate, Marv has been a dedicated advocate for Idaho citizens. Appointed as the Chief Administrator for Idaho’s Division of Veteran Services in July of 2018, Marv continued his commitment to supporting veterans' rights. He co-founded the Wyakin Foundation in 2010, a nationally recognized transition program for wounded and disabled veterans, and is now actively engaged in Veterans for Idaho Voters.