Declaration of Independents: Veterans Sound Off on Repealing Closed Primaries

America’s veterans all have one thing in common: they took an oath to protect and defend our country and our constitution.

Sadly, our country doesn’t always stand up for them in return. In Pennsylvania, for example, as many as 375,000 veterans are barred from voting in primary elections, even for those who have the power to send them into battle. Why? Because they identify as political independents, and in Pennsylvania independent voters are shut out of primary elections.

And with as many as 49% of our veterans identifying as independents, that’s not just wrong – it’s un-American.

We want to hear your take: join us for a lively Q&A as Open Primaries President John Opdycke welcomes Ballot PA and an expert panel of advocates, veterans, and their family members to dig into why closed primaries disenfranchise members of our armed services. Panelists will include:

Todd Connor–Veterans for Political Innovation, Co-Founder & Navy Veteran
Dan and Kerrin Kunze
David Thornburgh–Chair, Ballot PA
Paul Rieckhoff–Founder, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) & Host, Independent Americans podcast