There are more voters registered as unaffiliated in the state of New Jersey than there are voters registered as democrat or republican. The number of unaffiliated voters continues to grow as more and more voters are dissatisfied with partisan politics and legislative gridlock.

However, New Jersey voters are required to join a political party in order to participate in the primary election, even when: (1) the primary election is an integral stage of the public election process, (2) all taxpayers fund the primary election, and (3) the primary election is the only competitive stage of the election.

This cannot stand. No voter should be required to join a private political organization as a condition of participating at a critical stage of our public election process.

New Jersey’s election process supports minority rule by institutionalizing a system that overtly and unnecessarily protects the private rights of two political organizations at the expense of the voting rights of its own citizens.

We, the undersigned, demand that New Jersey follow the majority of states that have already instituted fully open primaries. Fair voting rights for all in New Jersey, now!