open primary

American  

noun

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

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open primary British  

noun

1. government a primary in which any registered voter may participate Compare closed primary

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open primary Cultural  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of open primary

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Compare meaning

How does open-primary compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• open primary vs. closed primary

Example Sentences

Opponents include the state’s top Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and his possible successor, Xavier Becerra, who finished first in this month’s open primary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

Voters in California may get a chance to remake the state’s open primary system in two years.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026

Unlike many states, California holds an "open" primary, meaning voters can select candidates from any party.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

In Illinois, you don't register under a party, so it's kind of an open primary.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2025

Des Moines, Iowa, added to the Galveston plan the initiative, the referendum, and the recall, put in force a merit system for subordinate officials, and adopted the non-partisan open primary.

From Society Its Origin and Development by Rowe, Henry Kalloch