05/11/2026
A growing percentage of Pennsylvania voters are fed up with party loyalists on both sides putting partisan interests ahead of what's best for working families. But from closed primaries to restrictive ballot-access requirements, independent and third-party candidates have an uphill battle to gain ground in state politics.
Lehigh County Commissioner Ron Beitler, a former Republican who describes his shift to Independent status as "political su***de," makes things clear: "The entire system is structured to maintain that two-party control."
Elected officials say closed primaries, signature requirements, and money demands all make it hard to run as an independent.