Lawmakers debate unified primary bill as supporters press open-primary changes

The House Committee on Rules opened a lengthy public hearing March 19 on House Bill 3,166, the "Unified Primary Act," which would place all candidates for partisan offices on a single primary ballot and advance the top finishers to the general election. Melissa, the committee clerk, summarized the base bill and a posted dash-2 amendment before witnesses offered testimony.

Representative John Lively, who testified in support, said the reform would let the large and growing number of nonaffiliated voters take part in primaries. "I believe it's time that we do something with our election system that allows more people to participate more fully," Lively said. Lively and other backers said the dash-2 amendment narrows earlier proposals (which had included ranked voting and top-five advancement) to a simpler model they say county clerks and voters prefer.

Supporters testified the change would include long-term nonaffiliated voters and younger voters who register as nonaffiliated, arguing that adding them to primary ballots will increase participation and produce nominees with broader support. Arnie Roblin,…