Open up primary elections

New Mexico taxpayers pick up the tab for all primary elections, yet nearly a quarter of voters in this state aren’t allowed to cast a ballot in those elections because they’re not registered with a major political party.

If you think that’s wrong, you’re not alone. It’s a product of our state’s closed primary system, which prohibits voters who decline to state a party preference or voters registered with minor political parties from casting ballots in primaries.

As of last month, New Mexico had more than 278,000 independent voters, all of them being kept from voting in primary elections that often determine who will represent them on their county commission or in the statehouse because the opposing party didn’t put forth a candidate in that particular race for the general election.

Over the years, there have been several attempts to reform the current system — everything from lawsuits to legislative efforts — but all proved unsuccessful.

But a new lawsuit filed last week might just change that trend. Filed by two independents, a Republican and a Democrat, it alleges the current setup unconstitutionally benefits major political parties at the expense of taxpayers. Specifically, they argue using public funds to run closed primaries violates the state Constitution’s “anti-donation” clause.It’s a novel argument and one that should gain traction given taxpayers are forced to pay for elections they’re not allowed to participate in. Sadly, the current system rewards extreme candidates at the expense of moderates.

The courts should throw out our closed-party system or give the major political parties an ultimatum: Open primaries up to independent and minor-party voters, or pay for those elections themselves.