Independent Voters Call for Open Presidential Candidate Selection, Survey Finds

NEW YORK CITY, NY — Independent voters have expressed a strong preference for an open, democratic process to select a new presidential candidate, according to a survey conducted by LetUsVote, a movement advocating for the voting rights of independents across the country.

The survey results highlight independent voters’ reactions to an NPR/PBS News/Marist National Poll released last week, which showed Vice President Kamala Harris trailing former President Donald Trump by 14 points among independents in a head-to-head matchup.

In the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race, the survey revealed that independent voters predominantly support either a flash or quickly recapitulated primary process, or an open convention to select a new candidate.

Only a small minority favored a direct transition to Harris’s campaign. Some respondents voiced concerns that the Democratic Convention, as currently planned, may not be a genuinely open process, fearing party leaders might force or otherwise persuade potential challengers to withdraw from the race.

Many survey participants advocated for a flash primary, emphasizing the importance of a democratic and transparent process:

• “Hold a debate and a democratic vote across the country. This is a rare moment and needs to be handled properly and fairly.”
• “Let the citizens decide with a separate vote.”
• “I think there should be a mini-primary, but if potential candidates fear the powers that be in the Democratic party, at least there should be debates between the people looking to become vice president. Let the delegates vote between those who have gotten a thumbs up from the vetting committee. In this instance, the choice should not be that of the coronated presidential candidate.”
• “Ideally, the Democrats would demonstrate a single party version of an open-primary, multiple-candidate-general election, generating a candidate highly likely to appeal to a large percentage of the electorate and illustrating the power of certain election reforms (for example, RCV).”

Others called for an open convention to ensure a democratic and inclusive selection process:

• “If the Democrats want to earn trust and be democratic, they should do an open convention, and have at least five different potential candidates compete at an Open Convention to get a strong, consensus winner.”
• “Biden should resign, Kamala should nominate Gretchen Whitmer and then there should be an open convention.”

“Independent voters are critical to any presidential campaign, let alone a campaign that begins just four months before the general election,” said Will Conway, Campaign Director for LetUsVote. “The most effective way to win their votes? Listen to them. Include independents in the process. Independent voters now represent 51% of the voting population. Any process that excludes us is undemocratic on its face. We matter, and we expect to be listened to.”