open primary

noun

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

open primary

noun

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

open primary

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of open primary¹

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Example Sentences

The top five finishers from that open primary advance to the general election.

From 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.

From 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.

From FiveThirtyEight

It’s just that more open primary systems — even Alaska’s top-four — aren’t likely to do much to diminish polarization.

From FiveThirtyEight

The problem is that Mississippi has long operated as a state that functionally had an open primary.

From The Daily Beast

This year, Arizona is considering the top-two open primary system similar to the one passed by California in 2010.

From The Daily Beast

He beat five Socialists, including Royal, in an open primary last October.

From The Daily Beast

Paul has consistently done best among young voters and independent voters in open primary states.

From The Daily Beast

Arkansas has an open primary on May 22 and a deadline of Feb. 10.

From The Daily Beast