Semi-closed primary

Primary election
Primary elections by state
Closed primary
Open primary
Semi-closed primary
Top-two primary
Final-five voting
Caucus
Election terms
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its election administration.
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubmit

A semi-closed primary, also known as a hybrid primary, is a type of primary election where voters that are not affiliated with a political party may participate in the partisan primary election of their choice. Voters who are affiliated with a political party are only allowed to vote in that party's primary.

HIGHLIGHTS

In 15 states, at least one political party conducts semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level offices.

For information on voter participation rules for the 2024 presidential primaries and caucuses, see below.

Usage

Congressional and state-level elections

In 15 states, at least one political party conducts semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level offices. The map below identifies states in which at least one political party uses semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level elections. Hover over a state for additional details.

States where at least one political party uses semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level elections
State	Semi-closed primaries	Notes
Arizona	Yes
Colorado	Yes
Idaho	Yes	State law stipulates that political parties can determine for themselves who may participate in their primary elections. Unaffiliated voters can affiliate with a party on the day of the election and participate in its primary. Voters who are already affiliated with a political party must disaffiliate no later than the 10th Friday preceding the primary election in order to affiliate with another party and vote in its primary.
Kansas	Yes	Section 25-3301 of the Kansas Statutes stipulates that a voter who is already affiliated with a political party can participate only in that party's primary. An unaffiliated voter can declare his or her affiliation with a political party on the day of the election and vote in that party's primary. Previously affiliated voters cannot change their affiliation on the day of the election.
Maine	Yes	Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, Section 341 stipulates that an unaffiliated voter may vote in a partisan primary of their choice without enrolling in the party.
Massachusetts	Yes
New Hampshire	Yes
New Jersey	Yes	A previously unaffiliated voter can participate in the primary of his or her choice by affiliating with a party on the day of the election. Otherwise, a voter must indicate his or her party preference (e.g., via an updated voter registration) no later than the 55th day preceding the primary in order to vote in that party's primary.
New York	Yes (Reform Party)	In 2018, the Reform Party opened its primary to independent voters.
North Carolina	Yes
Oklahoma	Yes (Democratic Party)	Section 26-1-104 of the Oklahoma Statutes stipulates that only a registered member of a political party can vote in that party's primary. The law does grant parties the authority to determine for themselves whether unaffiliated voters may vote in their primaries.
Rhode Island	Yes
South Dakota	Yes (Democratic Party)	Section 12-6-26 of the South Dakota Codified Laws stipulates that a voter who has registered with a political party can only vote in that party's primary. The statute does grant parties the authority to determine for themselves whether unaffiliated voters may participate in their primaries.
Utah	Yes (Democratic Party)
West Virginia	Yes	State law permits political parties to determine for themselves whether unaffiliated voters may participate in their primary elections.

Presidential primaries and caucuses

2024 presidential primaries and caucuses

The maps below detail voter participation rules for the Democratic and Republican parties in the 2024 presidential nominating process.

For information from previous presidential election cycles, click "[Show more]" below.

Show more

2020 presidential primaries and caucuses

The maps below detail voter participation rules for the Democratic and Republican parties in the 2020 presidential nominating process. Hover over a state to see additional information.

2016 presidential primaries and caucuses

The map below identifies states in which at least one political party utilized semi-closed primaries or caucuses as part of the presidential nominating process in 2016. Hover over a state for additional details.

States in which at least one political party utilized semi-closed primaries or caucuses for presidential nominating process, 2016
State	Semi-closed primaries or caucuses
Massachusetts	Yes
New Hampshire	Yes
North Carolina	Yes
Oklahoma	Yes (Democrats)
Rhode Island	Yes
South Dakota	Yes (Democrats)
West Virginia	Yes

Recent legislation related to primaries

The table below includes state legislation related to primaries introduced in or carried over to the current year's legislative session.

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

• Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
• We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
• And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

The Ballot Bulletin

The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: November 22, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 15, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 1, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 25, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 18, 2024

Subscribe

Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.

Email *

Please complete the Captcha above

See also

• Primary election
• Primary election types by state
• State primary election types
• Open primary
• Closed primary
• Top-two primary
• Top-four primary
• Blanket primary
• Jungle primary
• Final-five voting

Footnotes

‎