Open, Closed, and now wanting to Open again

History of Republican Primaries.

With the recent development of former Idaho Governor Butch Otter signing the petition from Reclaim Idaho to open Idaho primaries and introduce ranked-choice voting, I decided to research when they closed and why.

In 2007 “At a semiannual meeting of the Idaho Republican Party Central Committee on Saturday in Burley, delegates voted 88-58 to close the primaries.” “Rod Beck, a former state senator from Boise who backed the plan, said the Idaho Republican Party could sue the Idaho secretary of state to get the primary process changed in Idaho, and the Idaho attorney general concluded earlier this year the state would likely lose such a challenge.” https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/jun/03/idaho-republicans-close-doors-to-primary/

What happened next? “That’s after the Idaho Republican Party sued the state for the right to close its primary.  The GOP argued party faithful, not crossover Democrats, should pick Republican candidates.”https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/politics-government/2012-05-09/idaho-primary-why-the-gop-closed-its-ballot

The Law. https://sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/ClosedPrimaryOrder.pdf

The Bill. HB371 (2011). Which Governor Otter signed. https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2011/legislation/H0351/

In my opinion, it always comes down to 'power.' Power is addictive, like a drug; once you have tried it, you will sell your soul for it. It changes people who once had a heart to serve into those who want to control everything and everyone. We have gone from being open to closed and now wanting to open up again. It seems that many who are flip-flopping are those with motives more focused on personal gain than on the betterment of Idaho.

Lastly I will include the press release from the Idaho State GOP so you will all know where the party stands with all of this.