More than half of America’s military veterans identify as independents, not Democrats or Republicans. Yet in many states with closed primary systems, those voters are barred from participating in taxpayer-funded primary elections. Because veterans swear an oath to defend the Constitution, not a political party, a growing coalition of veteran-led organizations is advocating for open primaries and other electoral reforms designed to expand voter participation and strengthen representative democracy.
In Kentucky, veterans have emerged as leading voices in a nonpartisan campaign to open the Commonwealth’s closed primary system. Their efforts come as the state's electorate shifts: independent voters are the fastest-growing segment of registered voters.
Heading into the 2026 midterm elections, independent registration is outpacing growth among both major parties. In July 2026, new independent registrations surpassed those of Republicans and Democrats combined. Independents now make up roughly 11% of Kentucky voters, but the Commonwealth remains the only Southern state with a fully closed primary system, which prevents non-affiliated voters from participating in elections that often determine who ultimately holds office.
For many Kentuckians, the issue isn't partisanship; it's representation. They pay taxes that help fund primary elections yet have no voice in selecting the candidates who appear on the general election ballot. Among them is Jessica McWhorter, a Marine veteran and Libertarian voter, who says the disconnect raises fundamental questions about fairness and participation in the democratic process:
It's not like I'm getting to vote for my representation; it's pretty much I have to take what I get, which is just not right. That's not what—when we first had this idea of a republic, that's not what it was based off of. Everybody was just Americans."
I spoke with McWhorter and other veterans for an episode of The Fulcrum's award-winning series The 50: Voices of a Nation, which explores how participation, representation, and trust are shaping civic life across the Commonwealth.
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Veterans’ advocate Daniel Collins emphasizes that the consequences of closed primaries extend far beyond administrative access, striking at the core of civic trust and representation:
"I'm not blue, I'm not red, I am Dan. And the more they try to label me one way or the other, the less American they are. And I will let them know that. Like, you can go ahead and paint me one way or the other, but that's not the American thing to do. The American thing to do is unite."Reform advocates with organizations such as Let Us Vote KY argue that the current primary structure creates an inherent fairness gap. Because public tax dollars fully fund polling stations, voting machines, and election workers, shutting out independent taxpayers leaves a substantial portion of the population funding process steps they cannot participate in.
Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Mark Ritter summarizes the core argument for primary modernization:
"The mere fact, as a veteran, to say that I have served and I am paying taxes, and you are a private organization that is not in the Constitution—you are essentially a social club, and politics is what you talk about—that you are telling me as an American citizen that I can't vote, I think that is outrageous."
In Frankfort, Representative Adam Moore acknowledges the ongoing debate between maintaining historical electoral traditions and adapting to modern voter demographics. While Kentucky has enacted notable voting reforms in recent years—such as expanding early voting, clarifying voter identification rules, and streamlining absentee ballot procedures—Representative Moore notes that lawmakers must resolve whether the primary system reflects today’s electorate or one from decades past.
"Where people used to care more about the person who's running, now people care more about whether it's an R or a D, or red or blue. People have gotten more divisive in their politics, and so we have kind of grown apart within that closed primary system."
Community leaders stress that resolving this tension is vital to maintaining public faith in democratic institutions. Liza Holland, President of the League of Women Voters in Lexington, notes that access to the ballot and public trust are inextricably linked:
"I do believe that the exclusionary nature of primaries here really does have an effect on the apathy that happens in our elections. ... If you don't feel like your voice is heard or matters, what's the incentive to get involved in the process?"As the 2026 midterm elections draw near, the debate over primary reform extends beyond partisan politics—serving as a broader benchmark for whether Kentucky will update its voting structures to reflect an increasingly independent and engaged electorate.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of The Fulcrum and the publisher of the Latino News Network
