Shawn Griffiths
In New York City, it goes without saying that the most consequential election in nearly every race is in the Democratic primary. However, if registered independent voters don't join a party soon, they will be completely denied a say.
The deadline to change their voter registration is Friday, February 14 -- and while it may be Valentine's Day, many voters won't be feeling the love. The choice forced on them is join a party or don't vote.
New York City uses closed partisan primary elections, meaning only registered party members can participate. This includes the 2025 mayoral election, which is getting heightened attention with Mayor Eric Adams in the national spotlight.
The odds of a Democrat winning in November are great. After all, Democrats outnumber Republicans 6-to-1 in the Big Apple. In other words, the next mayor -- along with other elected positions -- will be decided in June.
By the time registered independent voters are allowed a say in November, it will be too late.
"New York is one of only a dozen states and NYC one of only 15% of cities that operate a closed primary system," writes Jeremy Gruber, Senior Vice President of the election reform group Open Primaries.
"Our primary elections are conducted exactly like the general election, in the same public buildings, on the same machines, with the same poll workers and administered by the city with our tax dollars. The only difference is that independents are barred from participating. Not a single elected official in NYC has publicly denounced it."
Gruber explains that the closed primaries go beyond just disenfranchisement in New York because it is also used by the parties, candidates, and allied organizations to target independent voters for "conversion."
"When Be Counted tells independents to join the Democratic Party, it’s because they want to use independents to help them reach an outcome that the Democratic primary isn’t providing," he writes.
"When The City runs a feature on why independents should join a party, and doesn’t interview a single independent on why that’s a problem, they’re telling independents we don’t matter."
And those were just a couple of examples. Some candidates even try to be cute with it. Gothamist reports:
"In a cheeky nod to the Valentine’s Day deadline, mayoral candidate Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani made a video for social media, complete with a love song and a heart-shaped chocolate box containing a voter registration form, asking: 'Will you be my Democrat?'"
It doesn't matter if voters want to be a Democrat or a party member of any kind. Andrew Yang, who has run for president and mayor in NYC, says he knows a lot of people who join a party just so they can have a meaningful vote.
Independent voters -- who register as "blank" in New York -- are the second largest voting bloc in the nation's largest city. They make up 1.1 million registered voters, according to data from the state.
Voters have until Friday to change their voter registration if they want to vote in the primaries. The fastest way to re-register is to submit an application online. However, an online application has to be received a day early on February 13.