As a nonpartisan 501(c)(3), the Institute produces research and educational resources on the root causes of political dysfunction and the potential impact of reform. Our research examines the impact electoral systems may have on participation, competition, representation, polarization, and governance, with a particular focus on how the structural features of our electoral system contribute to these outcomes.
Through original research, commissioned scholarship, public reports, educational resources, and convenings, the Institute seeks to make complex election-policy questions more accessible and useful to public audiences. We aim to serve as a resource for those seeking to understand the causes of political dysfunction, the tradeoffs among reform options, and the conditions under which different reforms may improve democratic outcomes.
This report examines whether Open, All-Candidate Primaries (referred to throughout as “all-candidate primaries”) produce measurable improvements in citizens’ quality of life. While most research on primary reform focuses on immediate political effects like candidate positioning or legislative voting patterns, this study takes the logical next step by analyzing whether these electoral changes translate into tangible societal benefits.
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