Op-Ed: Independent Vets Locked out of PA Primaries

Consider this situation. A Pennsylvanian devotes over three decades to military service, most of it in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Along the way, he earns multiple degrees and becomes a management consultant, a college professor and an entrepreneur. He’s played by the rules, served his country and contributed to his community. And yet, despite all that service, he’s prohibited from voting in his state’s primary elections. Why? Because he’s registered as an independent.

This situation isn’t hypothetical — it’s real. For most of my life, I was a registered Republican. But over the years, I felt less aligned with the party, especially at the local and state levels. I changed my registration after working on a friend’s campaign for state Senate and seeing firsthand how party loyalty often overshadowed community service. I switched to independent, choosing to put country over party and people over politics. As a result, I’m now locked out of Pennsylvania’s primary elections. I no longer have a say in who governs our local schools, my township, my county or even who runs for the state Legislature.

In a state known as the keystone of American democracy, Pennsylvania carries an unfortunate distinction: It’s one of just 10 states that still bars independent voters from participating in primary elections. This outdated restriction disenfranchises 1.3 million Pennsylvanians — even though we help fund the very primaries we’re excluded from.

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