Idahoans for Open Primaries Stand Firm in Fight for Fair Elections

Boise, Idaho – July 25, 2024 – Idahoans for Open Primaries remain steadfast in their commitment to the Open Primaries Initiative after Idaho Attorney General, Raúl Labrador, initiated a lawsuit to block the citizen-led initiative from the November ballot. 

“This lawsuit is a political stunt that won’t be taken seriously by the courts and is wasting taxpayer dollars,” said Idahoans for Open Primaries spokesperson, Luke Mayville. “Instead of letting Idaho voters decide for themselves, the Attorney General is trying to interfere in the election and strip voters of their voices.” 

The grassroots coalition illustrated broad support for Open Primaries and exceeded the state’s rigorous requirements to place a citizen-led initiative on the ballot. 

“More than 97,000 Idahoans signed petitions in support of the Open Primaries Initiative because they want a stronger voice in our elections and believe lawmakers should be accountable to voters instead of party elites,” Mayville said. “It is disappointing, if not surprising, that some career politicians who benefit from the current system would push back against the initiative and try to strip voters of the right to decide for themselves.” 

More than two thousand volunteers across the state spent countless hours over the past year discussing every aspect of the Open Primaries Initiative with friends, neighbors and complete strangers. “The Attorney General’s claims against this initiative are not only baseless, they insult the hardworking Idahoans who overcame every obstacle to place this citizen-led initiative on the ballot,” Mayville said. “The initiative qualified for the ballot with more than enough signatures and demonstrated strong support from Idahoans who want a more open and accountable election system.” 

Idahoans for Open Primaries is made up of a broad coalition of supporters including Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Republicans for Open Primaries, Veterans for Idaho Voters, among others.

“The Attorney General’s attempt to block our right to vote is an affront to all freedom-loving Idahoans and those who served,” says Veterans for Idaho Voters co-founder and Army veteran, Stan Hall. “The Idaho Constitution protects the initiative process as a citizen's right. Proposition 1 was certified for the November ballot by the Secretary of State. This blatant government overreach is the very reason why it is critical to pass this measure and return power to the voters.” 

The Attorney General claims the Open Primaries Initiative violates the single subject rule. He’s asked the Idaho Supreme court to, in effect, block the initiative from the November ballot. 

“The Open Primaries Initiative—which is now Proposition 1—is constitutionally sound and does not violate the single-subject rule,” said Idahoans for Open Primaries volunteer and former Idaho Supreme Court Justice, Jim Jones. “The two parts of the initiative clearly both belong to a single subject—voting.”  

Idahoans for Open Primaries is confident the court will uphold the rights of Idaho voters and allow them to decide the future of their elections.

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