Texas Republicans, led by Gov. Greg Abbott, are pushing to close primaries, which would require voters to register with a party before casting ballots. Abbott publicly backed the effort during the Texas Republican Convention, saying, “We are going to make clear that in the future, only Republicans vote in Republican primaries.” The move is seen as a way to prevent Democratic- and independent-leaning voters from influencing Republican primary elections.

Background on the Push for Closed Primaries

The push for closed primaries in Texas has been ongoing for years, but it gained momentum in 2024 after two incumbent state representatives, former House Speaker Dade Phelan and Gary VanDeaver, held off challengers in their primary races by fewer than 800 votes. Some Republican leaders claimed that Phelan and VanDeaver only won because they received votes from Democratic- and independent-leaning voters, which is allowed under the state’s open primary system.

In Texas, eligible voters do not have to select a party affiliation when registering to vote and may choose to vote in any one party’s primary during a given election cycle. The state’s open primary system has been in use since the early 1990s, when it moved away from using party conventions to nominate candidates.

What Closing Primaries Would Mean for Voters

Closing primaries would require a significant change to the state’s election system. The law would have to be changed, and voters would need to register with a party affiliation. This could be a complicated process, as the state’s more than 18 million registered voters have never had to declare a party affiliation before. The state’s voter registration system would need to be redesigned to accommodate party affiliations, which could be a big lift for both voters and the state.

The Texas Republican Party has suggested that if a judge were to rule in their favor, the party could maintain its own voter registration lists and work with county election officials to provide them with access to the party’s system. However, this would likely require significant administrative action by the state, including redesigning forms and software to allow voters to list a party affiliation.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.