An important issue on the U.S. political scene is the November referendum in Arizona that, if approved, will significantly reform the state's electoral system. This change will not eliminate elected leaders, but it will compel the legislature to develop a new system that treats all voters and candidates fairly and equitably.

The proposed reforms include opening the presidential primary to all citizens and implementing a nonpartisan primary for state and federal elections, culminating in a competitive general election where the winner must obtain a clear majority.

Independent voters in Arizona, a highlight last year, tied with Republicans as the largest group of voters in the state, each with 1.4 million registered voters, while Democrats have 1.2 million. This rapid increase in independent voters reflects a national trend, but is most pronounced in Arizona due to parity between the two major parties, making independents crucial in elections.

Despite their growing importance, independents in Arizona face several disadvantages. Election administration is partisan, and independents have no representation on electoral councils, nor can they serve as poll workers or election judges. Although the state allows open primaries, independents are forced to choose a party to participate in. This requirement runs counter to the nature of independents, who, as noted by Thom Reily of ASU's Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy, are guided by candidates and issues rather than party loyalties.

In addition, independents face significant hurdles to voting by mail in primaries and need to collect six times as many signatures as party candidates to run, without even appearing in primary elections if they can overcome that barrier. They are also barred from participating in presidential primaries funded by their taxes, which puts them at a considerable disadvantage compared to partisan voters.

Thus, Arizona's election rules favor small groups of partisan members and marginalize independent voters, who are essential to balancing the extreme polarization between Democrats and Republicans. The Make ElectionsFair AZ organization was created to promote values of fairness, competition, and inclusion in the electoral system, just when the country needs these principles most. They are leading efforts to push forward an electoral reform that seeks to empower independents and revitalize the state's political culture.

According to Jeremy Gruber and John Opdycke, authors of the opinion piece published by The Hill, they are senior vice president and president of Open Primaries, respectively, a national organization dedicated to electoral reform. They argue that restructuring primary elections is vital to creating genuinely competitive general elections where all voters and candidates have a level playing field. The proposals aim to ensure that all taxpayer-funded elections are open to all voters, promoting a fairer and more inclusive political culture.