Posted by jesse shayne on September 14, 2016 at 12:43 PM

The Voter Rebellion Begins in South Dakota

A campaign that could tip the scales in our favor

One of the most important political campaigns in 2016 isn’t in support of a candidate, but of an idea -- one that is central to the Open Primaries movement: That all voters should be able to vote for who they want.

Amendment V in South Dakota offers voters a rare opportunity to enact public, nonpartisan primaries -- which would give every voter a voice and allow them to elect public servants instead of party servants. So far, former Democratic Senators Tim Johnson and Tim Daschle, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (who helped establish nonpartisan primaries in California), the AARP and League of Women Voters have all endorsed it. And the New York Times cited Vote Yes on V as one of the most important ballot measures of this election.

The campaign has national implications and is important for Open Primaries for three reasons:

South Dakota is the only state with public, nonpartisan primaries on the ballot this fall. If the measure passes, it sets the stage for a broader push for open primaries across other states in 2017.

this fall. If the measure passes, across other states in 2017. There is a unique coalition of Democrats, Republicans, and independents united in support of this measure (a true rarity in the age of hyper-partisanship). They put their careers on the line in support of Amendment V, and they deserve our support.

All donations to Vote Yes on V are being matched 2-to-1 by Open Primaries. That means that if you give $10, the Vote Yes on V campaign receives $30. Your donation goes three times as far.

Reform starts at the state level. If Vote Yes on V is successful, it has the potential to spread a pro-democracy movement across the country like wildfire. The 26.3 million voters who were barred from voting in this presidential primary this year are still angry, and this is an outlet through which positive change can be enacted.

If you are interested in volunteering in support of Vote Yes on V, let us know. There are many ways to get involved:

By making a donation

By phone banking in support of Vote Yes on V (sign up here to volunteer)

By recording a video testimonial of why you support open primaries

This marks the launch of our campaign in support of Vote Yes on V. We have been working closely with the campaign since it first began last year, and will continue doing so until Election Day.