11 December 2024, Okemah News Leader
By Dr. Donnie L. Nero Sr.
If my experience as a college president, teacher, and grandfather has taught me one thing, it’s this: young people are the key to building a better future. When they are empowered to make positive change, we benefit from their energy and optimism. When they are held back or discouraged, we stagnate. That’s why our closed primary system, which discourages
participation from young voters who increasingly identify as political independents, is so damaging to our state and our political culture.
Closed primary elections are run by political parties and are intentionally exclusive. In rural Oklahoma, the vast majority of elected officials are Republicans, and the important elections are primaries and primary run-offs. Independent voters (as well as Democrats and Libertarians) pay for these elections but cannot vote in them. Furthermore, in deep red rural Oklahoma, Democrats do not field a candidate for many offices, negating the need for a Democrat primary or even a general election. That means for many offices, political independents (about one in five Oklahoma voters) simply do not get a vote.
Independents are the fastest growing voter block among Oklahomans under 30, but those young voters have been intentionally excluded from our democratic process. This is unfair on its face, but also contributing to disillusionment and a decline in civic health that will have longterm consequences if it is not addressed.
A new proposed constitutional amendment, which will appear on a ballot as State Question 835, offers a simple solution. If passed, it will end closed primaries and offer in its place a single primary ballot where every candidate competes and every voter can pareticipate, regardless of party affiliation. The top two candidates would advance to the general election, requiring candidates to appeal beyond a partisan base.
What SQ 835 is proposing is an open primary system where every voter’s voice is heard, and every elected official earns the support of a majority. We want to move from a system that shuts people out to one where every voter can vote, and every vote counts.
That’s the only way we will get more leaders who understand the challenges our schools face, our farmers and ranchers face, and our families face every day. When candidates must win support from a broader spectrum of voters, they’re compelled to address real community concerns. Rural communities, often overlooked in our current system, stand to gain the most from this approach.
Our closed primary system doesn’t just restrict voting, it also encourages political apathy. A lot of younger Oklahomans don’t vote because they think their vote doesn’t matter. The sad thing is, under the current system, they have a point.
An open primary system would inject new energy into our elections, giving voters a genuine stake in the final result. We expect all citizens to support our political system, so why wouldn’t we allow all citizens to fully participate in that system?
For years, most of us have bemoaned political polarization in America. State Question 835 is one way we can put a stop to that lack of common ground: not by limiting voter choice, but by expanding it. When candidates must appeal to a broader electorate, they’re incentivized to find common ground with a broader cross-section of voters.
State Question 835 will make Oklahoma’s elections more responsive, more representative, and more accountable. It’s a practical fix to a system that currently serves party insiders more than everyday Oklahomans.
We have a chance to start fresh with an election process that truly reflects our state's voters and their concerns.
Please join me in supporting State Question 835–because democracy works best when all voices are heard.
Dr. Donnie L. Nero Sr. is the former President of Connors State College, where he led significant growth in student enrollment and campus expansion. An advocate fort education and community development, he has served in various leadership roles, including Dean and Provost at Tulsa Community College.
