What is an open primary?

An open primary allows voters to decide on the day of the election which party's primary they want to participate in, regardless of their registered party affiliation. This system is designed to enhance voter participation by giving individuals the flexibility to choose their preferred party ballot on the spot, which can help to engage more voters and potentially lead to higher turnout.

In contrast to closed primaries, where only registered party members can vote in their party's election, open primaries remove barriers to participation based on prior party enrollment. This inclusivity can encourage cross-party participation and often leads to a wider array of candidates being considered by voters, fostering a more vibrant electoral process.

The other choices present systems that do not align with the open primary concept, as they either enforce party loyalty or restrict participation in ways that are contrary to the open primary's intent.