As New Yorkers head to the polls for Tuesday’s primary elections, a contentious debate over open primaries is gaining momentum. Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE) is at the center of this discussion, with advocates pressing for a reconsideration of the city’s closed primary system.

More than 1 million New York City voters are registered without a political party, making them the city’s second-largest voting bloc after Democrats. Currently, these unaffiliated voters are excluded from participating in party primaries, a situation that advocates argue is undemocratic and outdated.

Advocates Push for Change in Staten Island Hearing

On Tuesday evening, Open Primaries President John Opdycke is expected to testify at a COGE hearing in Staten Island. This hearing is part of a series of public input sessions aimed at gathering opinions on potential changes to the City Charter. While advocates are eager for reform, they acknowledge that they have not yet settled on a specific proposal.

“We’re not pushing a specific proposal at this point,” Opdycke stated during a Monday press call. “There are people working in New York that are wanting to put a specific effort on the ballot, and they’re not ready to talk publicly yet.” Opdycke emphasized the need for the commission to study the issue thoroughly and make a political commitment to changing the system before deciding on a ballot proposal.

The Case for Open Primaries

Supporters of open primaries argue that the current system disenfranchises a significant portion of the electorate. Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America, highlighted the irony of publicly funded elections being off-limits to unaffiliated voters. “The election happens two blocks from my kid’s public school,” Rieckhoff said. “It’s publicly funded, public poll workers, public machines, public school — and I can’t vote in it.”

Dr. Jessie Fields, a Harlem primary care physician and independent voter, framed the issue as a matter of voting rights and civil rights. “Your right to vote should not depend on your joining a political organization,” Fields asserted. She pointed out that younger voters and voters of color are disproportionately represented among those registered without a party.

Advocates also cited polling data showing that 40% of registered Democrats in New York City identify as independents or Republicans but enroll as Democrats to vote in primaries. Opdycke argued that an open system would allow voters to be truthful about their political affiliations without feeling compelled to join a party they do not support.

National Context and Potential Impact

The debate over open primaries in New York City is part of a broader national conversation. A 2026 Bipartisan Policy Center report found that primary electorates are generally older and less representative than the broader pool of eligible voters. The report also noted that states saw a 5 percentage point turnout increase when they opened primaries to unaffiliated voters for the first time, with the unaffiliated share of the electorate rising by 12 percentage points on average.

Fields also referenced a 2019 Touro Law Review article that argues closed primaries raise voting-rights, equal-protection, and freedom-of-association concerns for unaffiliated voters. The proposal remains controversial, however, with critics arguing that political parties should have the autonomy to choose their own nominees.

The Road Ahead for Open Primaries

The Commission on Government Efficiency is empowered to recommend changes to the City Charter that could be placed before voters at the Nov. 3 general election. The commission is holding public input sessions across the city, with the next session scheduled for June 30 in Brooklyn. Members of the public are invited to testify in person, by Zoom, or submit written testimony online.

While the debate over open primaries continues, one thing is clear: the issue is far from settled. Commissioners will need to decide not only whether to advance the idea but also what “open” should actually mean. As the process unfolds, advocates and critics alike will be watching closely to see how New York City’s primary system evolves.