Welcome to 2026. The midterms are here, and the political establishment is already wringing its hands about youth turnout. We’ll hear the same old story: Young voters are “apathetic.”
But the system insists this is a motivation issue, when it is clearly a design flaw.
In Pennsylvania, 91% of state legislative races are effectively decided in the primary — an election 1.4 million non-party affiliated voters are legally barred from. By November, the outcome is often predetermined. For my generation, the “general” election is often just a formality.
Closed systems create closed futures. Sixty-one percent of young voters now reject the two-party system, yet Pennsylvania’s rules separate decision-making from the people. We pay taxes to fund these primaries, yet we are shut out of the booth.
The fight for access is happening now.
Last year, BallotPA Action filed a historic lawsuit arguing closed primaries violate the Pennsylvania Constitution’s guarantee of “free and equal” elections. They are asking the courts to recognize that you cannot call an election “free” while banning over a million qualified voters from the most consequential part of the process. They are supported by Open Primaries, a truly cross-partisan organization of voters I am proud to organize with.
Legislatively, the solution is already written. House Bill 280 would open primaries tomorrow if leadership called it for a vote.
Pennsylvania’s challenge isn’t apathy; it’s access. If you want young people to show up, give us a reason to believe our voices matter. Open the primaries.
Sophie Gelling
West Philadelphia