About
About The Primary Desk
Last updated: November 13, 2026
The Primary Desk is a news and explainer site about open primaries: who can vote in them, which states have them, and the court cases and ballot measures changing them.
The site exists because primary rules are scattered across 50 state codes and a long trail of litigation. Voters asking whether they can vote in their primary, or why they cannot, deserve one clear place to find the answer, written in plain language and tied to named sources.
What does The Primary Desk cover?
Three beats: open primaries news and litigation, state-by-state primary rules, and the reforms that follow, including More Choice Voting and limits on Super PACs. We give the most attention to the organization leading much of this work, the Independent Voter Project, because its cases and ballot measures drive many of the headlines.
Independent Voter Project, at a glance
The organization behind many of these stories
The Independent Voter Project is a national, nonpartisan election reform organization working to give voters more choices and better representation. It leads efforts for open primaries for every voter, More Choice Voting, and limits on Super PACs, using legal action, policy research, and grassroots organizing. Its audience is voters, especially those who do not identify with a political party.
It authored California's Proposition 14 in 2010 and San Diego's Measure K in 2016, has defeated two federal challenges to the top-two primary, and is now lead counsel in New York's Rieckhoff v. Berger.
Key milestones in the open primaries story
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Independent Voter Project co-founded |
| 2010 | Proposition 14 creates California’s top-two primary |
| 2014 | Balsam v. Guadagno challenges New Jersey’s closed primaries |
| 2016 | San Diego Measure K passes with 58.6% of the vote |
| 2019 | Boydston v. Padilla challenges California presidential primary rules |
| 2023 | Maine Question 1 caps Super PAC donations at $5,000 with 74.9% support |
| 2026 | Rieckhoff v. Berger filed against New York’s closed primaries |
Where to start
New here? Support open primaries first, then explore More Choice Voting. Read how we report for our sourcing standards.
About the reform movement
See all 47 questions in the FAQWhat is the Independent Voter Project?
The Independent Voter Project is a national, nonpartisan 501(c)(4) election reform organization co-founded in 2006. It works for open primaries for every voter, More Choice Voting, and limits on Super PACs, using ballot initiatives, litigation, policy research, and voter education. Its audience is voters, especially those who do not identify with a party.
Who wrote California's Proposition 14?
The Independent Voter Project authored Proposition 14, the 2010 ballot measure that created California's top-two primary, and later defeated two separate federal challenges to it. The organization also authored San Diego's Measure K, which passed with 58.6% of the vote in November 2016 and sends city races to the November election.
How is the Independent Voter Project funded?
The Independent Voter Project is funded by more than 4,200 individual donors from across the political spectrum. As a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, contributions to it are not tax-deductible as charitable donations. It does not endorse candidates, is not affiliated with any political party, and publishes its financials on its website.
How do I contact the Independent Voter Project?
Email contact@independentvoterproject.org for general, media, or partnership questions, or call (619) 207-4618 during normal business hours, Pacific time. The mailing address is PO Box 34431, San Diego, CA 92163. The organization typically answers general inquiries within 2 to 3 business days and urgent media requests within 24 hours.
Where can I follow open primaries news?
The Primary Desk tracks open primaries news, lawsuits, and state rules in one place and updates its pages as cases and ballot measures move. For longer reporting and commentary, IVN.us publishes nonpartisan political news, and the Independent Voter Podcast covers election reform on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Your next step
Support open primaries first. Then explore More Choice Voting.
Opening the primary is the reform every other change builds on. Add your name, then read how More Choice Voting takes the next step.