South Dakota just conducted an important primary election that will likely determine who becomes our next governor. Yet hundreds of thousands of citizens were prevented from participating, not because they were ineligible to vote, but because they did not belong to the right political party.

Think about that for a moment.

The Republican primary featured four candidates competing to become the party’s nominee. In a state where Republicans dominate statewide elections, the primary is arguably the most important election in the governor’s race. Yet more than 160,000 independent voters, along with many others who were not registered Republicans, were denied a meaningful voice in selecting the candidates who will likely lead the state. And they will be left out of the July 28^th runoff as well, unless they switch their voter registration to Republican before then.

Favored Status for Two Political Machines

This exclusion was not accidental. It was the direct result of rules established by political parties and embedded into our state’s election system. That raises a fundamental question: Why should private organizations have the power to decide which citizens may participate in taxpayer-funded elections?

The Democratic and Republican parties are private associations. Of course, they have every right to organize, advocate for their ideas, recruit members and endorse candidates. What they should not have is special privilege granted by the state itself. Yet that is exactly what we have created.

Our election system gives two entrenched political machines a preferred position on the ballot. They determine who may vote in key elections and who may not. As a result, hundreds of thousands of South Dakotans are treated as second-class participants in the democratic process.

Independent Voters are Second Class Citizens

Independent voters pay taxes. They serve on juries. They obey the laws enacted by elected officials. They are full citizens in every respect. Yet when it comes time to help choose those officials, they are often told to sit quietly on the sidelines. That is neither fair nor wise.

We frequently ask why politics has become so polarized. Why are voters angry? Why does government seem increasingly disconnected from ordinary citizens?

Fringe Elements are Empowered

Part of the answer may be that we have concentrated political power among the most committed partisan activists. Closed primaries reward candidates who appeal to a relatively small group of highly engaged party voters while excluding many of the moderates and independents who make up a large share of the electorate. Then we act surprised when elected officials struggle to represent the broader public. A healthier system would begin with a simple principle: every voter should have an equal voice.

Instead of separate partisan primaries, South Dakota could hold a single public primary election. Every candidate would appear on the same ballot. Every voter would participate under the same rules. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and independents would all be treated as equal citizens.

Open Primaries Rejected in South Dakota

South Dakota voters had an opportunity to move in that direction in 2024. With lots of political pressure from both political parties, they rejected Amendment H, which would have created an open primary system. The result is that we continue to operate under a structure that gives those parties significant control over access to public elections.

Imagine how this year’s governor’s race might have unfolded under a different system. Every voter could have participated. Every candidate could have competed for support from the entire electorate. Perhaps the outcome would have been the same. Or maybe winners would better reflect the views of all South Dakotans. The point is not who would have won. The point is that every citizen would have had an equal opportunity to help decide.

Primaries are not Part of our Constitution

One of the greatest Republicans, Abraham Lincoln, was elected president before primary elections existed. The current primary system is not part of the Constitution. It is not sacred. It was created as a reform intended to improve democracy. It didn’t work out that way in the long run.

A healthy democracy should strive to include as many citizens as possible in the process of choosing its leaders. Maybe someday South Dakota will adopt a system that reflects that principle, one where every eligible voter participates under the same rules and every citizen’s voice carries equal weight. Then our politics may finally get more sane.