The League of Women Voters Florida supports Open Primaries — so why did we oppose Amendment #3?
The League of Women Voters Florida (LWVFL) supports Open Primaries because our mission is to empower all voters. We are fully committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in principal and in practice. Florida’s closed primary system effectively suppresses voters registered as NPA (No Party Affiliation) or in a minor party from casting a vote in any primary election.
There are several types of Open Primaries used in the United States. Amendment #3, which appeared on the Florida Nov. 2020 general election ballot, identified the Top Two Open Primary System as the only choice. The League withdrew its support for Amendment #3, the Top Two Open Primary, after additional review revealed the amendment’s passage would not allow for the broadest possible voter participation and could result in systemic racism outcomes and the potential silencing of minority voters