Independent Voters of Maryland

08/05/2026

When independents are allowed to vote in primary elections, the outcome produces candidates that have a better chance to win in the general election. . Take the Michigan Democratic primary for example:

Polling data indicates that **Abdul El-Sayed performs significantly stronger among Michigan independents than Mike Rogers**.

Key general election matchup survey results show the breakdown among independent voters:

# # # 1. Data for Progress Survey (General Election Matchup)

In a general election survey conducted by Data for Progress among likely voters in Michigan:

* **Head-to-Head Ballot:** El-Sayed leads Rogers among independent voters by **9 percentage points (48% to 39%)**.
* **Post-Biography Shift:** After respondents read brief biographical profiles for each candidate, El-Sayed's margin among independents expands to a **14-point lead (52% to 38%)**.
* **Post-Attack Resilience:** Even after respondents are presented with negative attack messaging framing El-Sayed as a far-left candidate, he maintains a **12-point advantage over Rogers among independents (51% to 39%)**.

# # # 2. Zenith Research Survey

General election testing from Zenith Research similarly highlights that El-Sayed's primary strength relative to other Democratic alternatives comes from his overperformance with **independents** and **younger voters (ages 18–29)**. Overall, Zenith found El-Sayed leading Rogers by 3 points state-wide, anchored by strong independent support.

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# # # Context & Electoral Dynamic

Throughout the Democratic primary race, El-Sayed's strength with non-party-aligned voters was a central focus:

* **Primary Crosstabs:** In a July 2026 Emerson College survey, independent voters who chose to participate in the Democratic primary backed El-Sayed over Haley Stevens by 27 points (60% to 33%).

* **General Election Strategy:** While Republican campaign strategists argue that El-Sayed's progressive platform (such as Medicare for All and immigration positions) provides attack vectors for moderates, polling so far suggests his non-establishment appeal translates into solid baseline support among independents.

07/04/2026

!!!!!

🎉 Democracy won in Washington, D.C.

Nearly two years after voters overwhelmingly approved Initiative 83 with 73% of the vote, the D.C. Council has finally voted to fund and implement the measure.

Beginning in 2028, nearly 100,000 independent voters will be able to participate in D.C.'s taxpayer-funded primary elections.

This victory belongs to the organizers, volunteers, and voters who refused to let their voices be ignored.

Congratulations to Lisa Rice, Grow Democracy DC, and everyone who made this historic reform possible.

Read more:
https://ivn.us/independent-voters-win-dc-council-votes-to-fund-semi-open-primaries/

06/24/2026

BREAKING NEWS: The D.C. Council just voted to fund and implement the open primaries portion of Initiative 83. That means that in 2028, close to 100,000 independent voters will be able to choose whether to vote in the primaries. Congrats to Lisa Rice and Grow Democracy DC!!!!!!!!!

04/28/2026

Gov. Moore: "The closed primary system has run its course......if you believe in Democracy, let [all] voices be heard [in elections]"

2 likes. "Maryland Governor Wes Moore calls for open primaries"

03/11/2026

Our friends at Open Primaries have released a new manifesto marking the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. The Declaration of Independents calls for equal rights for the 45% of Americans who are independent voters and are too often treated as second-class citizens in our elections.

Please read the declaration and consider signing in support of independent voters.

02/03/2026

Every successful movement — from civil rights to environmental justice — has used litigation to catalyze change. From Women’s Suffrage through the Civil Rights era to the present day, the history of voting rights in the United States is intertwined with litigation. Whether successful, unsucces...

02/03/2026

🚨 Big news for Maryland voters 🚨

A new bill — HB0496 — would finally allow independent voters to choose a ballot and vote in Maryland’s primary elections.

Right now, Maryland is one of just 14 states that shuts independents out of the taxpayer-funded primaries we all help pay for. That’s not right — and it’s not democratic.

There are over ONE MILLION independent voters in Maryland — 25% of the electorate — and we need lawmakers to hear from us.

📣 A critical hearing is happening Feb 11 at 1 PM, and committee members need to know Maryland voters support opening the primaries.

👉 Add your name & send a letter today: https://maryland.letusvote.org/
👉 You can also testify in person or on Zoom — we’ll help you prepare!

Let’s show the legislature how strong independent voters really are. ✊🗳️

12/28/2025

https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/democratic-voter-registrations-decline-independents-surging-rcna213772

The share of registered voters unaffiliated with either major party has grown nearly 9 percentage points since 2000.

12/27/2025

There are a lot of reasons why Americans across the political spectrum are pushing for open primaries — and why this reform is gaining traction in states nationwide.

If you’re wondering what’s driving the movement, here are a few fundamentals worth keeping in mind.

Learn more at OpenPrimaries.org

12/27/2025

Florida Open Primaries recently joined the League of Women Voters of Florida for a powerful public discussion on voter suppression — with a packed room of engaged voters.

In Florida, nearly 4 million independent voters are denied the right to vote in primary elections, even though those primaries determine most outcomes.

The conversation also featured Michael Polelle, whose Open Primaries–backed lawsuit challenging Florida’s closed primary system broke new legal ground earlier this year.

The message was clear: gerrymandering and closed primaries work together to silence millions of voters — and Floridians are demanding change.