open primary

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noun

a direct primary election in which voters need not meet a test of party membership.

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Origin of open primary

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Words nearby open primary

open-pit, open plan, open policy, open-pollinated, open position, open primary, open prison, open punctuation, open question, open quote, open-reel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use open primary in a sentence

The top five finishers from that open primary advance to the general election.
If We're Serious About Saving American Democracy, This Voting System Might Be the Key|Jonathan Haidt|November 1, 2021|Time
Yang was already in favor of ranked-choice voting, which allow people to select more than one candidate on their ballots, and open primaries, in which they don't need to be registered with a party to nominate its candidates.
The Trailer: Andrew Yang's got a new political party -- and he wants to change how we vote|David Weigel|October 7, 2021|Washington Post
Multiple studies find little or no evidence that more open primary systems attract more moderate candidates to run or to win more often.
Changing How Primaries Work Probably Won’t Make Politics Less Divisive|Geoffrey Skelley (geoffrey.skelley@abc.com)|July 19, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
It’s just that more open primary systems — even Alaska’s top-four — aren’t likely to do much to diminish polarization.
Changing How Primaries Work Probably Won’t Make Politics Less Divisive|Geoffrey Skelley (geoffrey.skelley@abc.com)|July 19, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

The problem is that Mississippi has long operated as a state that functionally had an open primary.
Mississippi GOP Plays Games With Black Votes|Ben Jacobs|June 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This year, Arizona is considering the top-two open primary system similar to the one passed by California in 2010.
Sex, Drugs, and Ballot Initiatives|John Avlon|November 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
He beat five Socialists, including Royal, in an open primary last October.
Francois Hollande and Segolene Royal: France’s Political Fairytale|Tracy McNicoll|April 5, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Paul has consistently done best among young voters and independent voters in open primary states.
Ron Paul’s Slow-and-Steady Strategy|John Avlon|March 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Arkansas has an open primary on May 22 and a deadline of Feb. 10.
Could Stephen Colbert Take Texas on Super Tuesday?|Josh Dzieza|January 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for open primary

open primary

noun

US government a primary in which any registered voter may participateCompare closed primary

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for open primary

open primary

A type of direct primary open to voters regardless of their party affiliation. Voters need not publicly declare their party affiliation but must vote for candidates of only one party. The opposite is a closed primary, in which only registered members of a party may vote.