A Reform Gone Awry

About a century ago, reformers replaced party conventions with direct election primaries. The goal was to give “the people” more say in choosing candidates instead of leaving decisions to party insiders.

Primaries did accomplish that. But over time they also produced an unintended consequence.

Highly motivated activist factions discovered that primaries are often decided by very small numbers of voters. If their supporters reliably show up, they can effectively control who gets nominated. Over time, this has allowed increasingly ideological factions to dominate many primaries.

Moderates generally do not behave that way. They are less driven by single issues or partisan identity and often focus more on their families, careers, and communities than on internal party contests. As a result, they tend to participate less in primaries where nominations are decided.

This dynamic is especially strong in Kansas because the state uses closed primaries. To vote in a Republican or Democratic primary, a voter must be registered with that party.

Many moderates are uncomfortable joining either party and instead register as unaffiliated. That means they cannot participate in the primaries where many of the most important political decisions are actually made.

Over time, this system has helped push both major parties further toward their most ideological factions while leaving many moderate voters without a strong voice in the process.

That’s why United Kansas believes that healthy democracy requires competition, accountability, and voter choice. Independent redistricting, ranked choice voting, and the restoration of fusion voting deserve serious consideration as tools to strengthen representation. We also happen to think a new moderate party would be helpful.