Texas

RandySF

(76,947 posts) Fri Sep 5, 2025, 05:40 AM Yesterday

Texas Republican Party sues state to end open primaries

The Republican Party of Texas filed a lawsuit against Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson on Thursday in a bid to restrict participation in the GOP’s primary elections to only voters registered with the party.

The lawsuit, filed in federal district court, claims Texas’ open primaries violate the Republican Party’s First Amendment associational rights to choose party leaders. The GOP said in its suit that it would prefer the Legislature to pass a law allowing only registered party members to vote in primary elections, but that it could not wait for lawmakers to act.

“[G]iven the steps necessary to transition to a fully closed primary in an orderly fashion, the Party cannot continue to wait and risk further political inaction and delay that could lead to open primaries (or even a bridge election) in 2028 as well,” the lawsuit read.

The Secretary of State’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/texas-gop-republican-party-closed-primary-elections/

3 replies

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Texas Republican Party sues state to end open primaries (Original Post) RandySF Yesterday OP

Next. TX will pass a law banning open primaries in all states. Captain Zero Yesterday #1

The Texas GOP is worried LetMyPeopleVote Yesterday #2

the Legislature would have to pass a bill, it might even require a constitutional amendment yellowdogintexas 3 hrs ago #3

Captain Zero

(8,363 posts)

1. Next. TX will pass a law banning open primaries in all states.

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Fri Sep 5, 2025, 06:38 AM

Yesterday

why not?
Their National Guard is going to Chicago.
Their citizens are allowed to sue abortion pill providers in other states.

I'm getting a little fucking sick of Texas.

LetMyPeopleVote

(169,209 posts)

2. The Texas GOP is worried

Reply to RandySF (Original post)

Fri Sep 5, 2025, 04:50 PM

Yesterday

In Texas, we do not have registered members of a party. In the March primary every two years anyone can vote in either party primary and after that vote, they can only vote in that party's primary. The new heavily gerrymandered districts may encourage people to cross over. Back when Houston was a one-party city back in 2000, I voted for a judge I liked who was being primaried in the GOP primary by a religious nut case and for McCain.

I hope that the Democratic party will intervene because I do not trust the GOP Texas Secretary of State

yellowdogintexas

(23,448 posts)

3. the Legislature would have to pass a bill, it might even require a constitutional amendment

Reply to LetMyPeopleVote (Reply #2)

Sat Sep 6, 2025, 06:55 PM

3 hrs ago

If it happened, and the governor signed it we would have to vote on that amendment. Secretary of State would not be involved as far as I can tell.

We can actually vote in one party's primary in one year then the other one the next year. The main rule is that if you vote in one party's primary, you can't vote in the other party's runoff if there is one. People flip back and forth between the two parties all the time.

Also if you are a Precinct Chair, or want to be one you have to sign a sworn statement that you will not vote in another party's primary. If you are running for a Democratic office you have some 'splainin' to do if you have ever voted in Republican primary.
I assume Republican rules are the same.

One thing about closed primaries: it will be much easier to find Democrats in our precincts because we could just pull all the registered Democrats up in our database

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