By Jim Jones
JJ Commontater
Republicans for Open Primaries formed in 2023 to reform Idaho’s election system. It does so by eliminating closed party primary elections, allowing every voter to have a say in who gets elected to public office. All candidates for county and state offices, regardless of party affiliation, run on the same ticket in the primary election.
The top four vote-getters move to the general election ticket. In that election, voters select their first choice for each office, but they may also rank the other candidates in order of preference. The candidate receiving a majority in the first vote count wins. If there is no winner, the candidate getting the fewest votes is eliminated from the running. The selections on ballots where that candidate was first choice shift upward a notch (choices 2, 3 and 4, become 1, 2 and 3) and a second count is made. If that count does not produce a winner, a third count will do it. A bonus of the system is that if your favorite does not win, your second choice might.
The Open Primaries Initiative has strong support across the political spectrum because every voter’s preference is equal in value. In a closed primary system, the voters of a majority party have much more influence than those of minority parties. Independent voters have absolutely no influence, unless they are willing to affiliate with a party they may not agree with. Many Idaho Republicans feel that their party has been taken over by extremists who do not have any use for traditional Republican values.
They often are excluded from positions in the party or otherwise made to feel unwelcome. The Open Primaries Initiative is therefore appealing to them. What follows is a list of the current members of Republicans for Open Primaries. They are broadly supported by Republicans across the Gem State.
- Butch Otter, former Idaho Governor and Congressman
- Lori Otter, former First Lady of Idaho
- Jack Riggs, former Senator and Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, Coeur d’Alene
- Sandy Patano, former State Director for Senator Craig and Vice-Chair of State GOP
- Chuck Coiner, former Senator from Twin Falls
- Rob Williams III, Jerome attorney, recipient of Distinguished Lawyer Award
- Jerry Evans, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Boise
- Former Senator Denton Darrington from Declo
- Gary Raney, former Ada County Sheriff
- Eric Peterson, former Chairman of the Nez Perce County Republicans, Lewiston
- Former Senator Laird Noh and Kathleen Noh, Twin Falls
- Marge Chadderdon, former Representative from Coeur d’Alene
- Chris Filios, former Kootenai County Commissioner
- Lydia Justice Edwards, former Idaho State Treasurer
- Former Senator Bill Ringert, Boise
- Maxine Bell, former Representative and JFAC Co-Chair from Jerome
- Former Senator Bert Brackett of Three Creek
- Joe Stegner, former Senator from Lewiston
- Billie Siddoway, former Teton County Prosecutor
- George Eskridge, former Representative from Dover, current Dover Mayor
- Former Representative Leon Smith and Jan Mittleider, Twin Falls
- John A. “Bert” Stevenson, former Representative from Rupert
- Former Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives Bruce Newcomb
- Gary Suppiger, owner of Panhandle Forest Products, Cocolalla
- Marv Hagedorn, former Senator and Veterans Services Administrator
- Greg and Ruth Gfeller, founding members of North Idaho Republicans
- Former Ada County Sheriff Vaughn Killeen
- Former Representative Rich Wills, Glenns Ferry
- Deborah Rose, writer and educator, Coeur d’Alene
- Former Cassia County Sheriff Jay Heward
- Decorated Vietnam veteran Leonard Crosby, Post Falls
- Mary Crosby, founding member of North Idaho Republicans, Post Falls
- Former Representative Jeff Nesset, Lewiston
- Alice Hennessey, Boise businesswoman and philanthropist
- Former Representative Beverly Montgomery, Meridian
- Doug Gross, Caldwell potato farmer
- Celia Gould, former Director of the Idaho Department of Agriculture
- John Barlow, retired Hagadone Corporate Executive
- Rancher Craig Spencer and his wife;
- Lawyer Jane Spencer, Grangeville
- Terry and Diane Eastman, Kootenai County restaurateurs
- Dwight Baker, long-time Blackfoot lawyer, former President of Idaho State Bar
- Rich Stivers, Twin Falls businessman and Vietnam veteran
- Steve Taggert, Idaho Falls lawyer and writer
- Thorpe Orton, former Deputy Attorney General
- Michele Chadwick, former Gem County Commissioner, Emmett
- Jennifer and Shawn Ellis, Chesterfield ranchers
- Barbara Schriber, artist and master potter, traditional Republican, Coeur d’Alene
- Jim Patrick, former Senator from Twin Falls
- Luke Russell and his wife;
- Deb Russell, founding members of North Idaho Republicans
- Steve Shake, writer and retired Canyon County educator for 31 years
- Dr. Richard E. Ferguson, DDS, Boise periodontist
- Ralph Nelson, Coeur d’Alene Certified Public Accountant
- Tom Torgerson, Coeur d’Alene Realtor and founder of North Idaho Republicans
- Hyrum Erickson, Rexburg lawyer and Republican Precinct Committeeman
- Peter Erbland, Coeur d’Alene lawyer, former Deputy Attorney General
- William F. “Bud” Yost and hhis wife;
- Joan Hill Yost, longtime Nampa Republicans
- Dale Storer, Idaho Falls municipal law expert
- Elmer “Rick” Currie, former Kootenai County Commissioner
- Jim Coleman, Coeur d’Alene Civil Engineer, past member of Idaho Transportation Board
- Caldwell lawyer and former Senator David Kerrick
- Jerry Rigby, Rexburg water lawyer
- Russ McLain, long-time Republican, Coeur d’Alene
- Travis Telford and wife;
- Kassidy Telford, Blackfoot
- Evalyn Adams, Former Kootenai County Commissioner
- Chuck Kroll, former Washington County Prosecuting Attorney
- Emmett ranchers David Little and his wife;
- Kelsey Little
- Lonne Jordahl and his wife;
- Laura Jordahl, founding members of North Idaho Republicans
- Jim Cox and his wife;
- Camille Cox, long-time Twin Falls Republicans
- Ed Morse, businessman and former Representative from Hayden
- Jim Kempton, former Representative from Albion and Chair of Idaho PUC
- Former Senator John Goedde from Coeur d’Alene
- John Holleran, former Boise Cascade General Counsel, Boise
- Michelle Lippert, Adjunct Professor at North Idaho College, Post Falls
- Jared Lamson, former Mackay City Councilman
- Robbi Berg, Certified Public Accountant in Hayden
- Randy Budge, Pocatello water lawyer, Distinguished Lawyer Award recipient
- Robert E. Farnam, Idaho Falls tax and estate attorney
- Christopher Rich, former Ada County Clerk and Auditor, Boise
- John Adams, Navy veteran and owner of Coeur d’Alene Tractor
- Clark Kauffman, former Representative from Filer
- John Young, President of Young Construction Group, Coeur d’Alene
- Tod Shenton, former Clark County Commissioner
- Marie Widmyer, owner of Marie’s Boutique and Marmalade, Coeur d’Alene
- Steve Widmyer, former Mayor of Coeur d’Alene
- Steve Roberge, former Mayor of Dalton Gardens
- Lora Whalen, former Director of Panhandle Health Department
- Gerald Mitchell, former Payette County Commissioner, and his wife;
- Darcy Mitchell
- Jim Faucher, Coeur d’Alene fundraising consultant
- Pierce Clegg, former Kootenai County Sheriff
- Terri White Goedde, founding member of North Idaho Republicans
- Cheryl Miller, long-time Ada County Republican stalwart
- Hank Martin and wife;
- Betsy Martin, Coeur d’Alene Rotarians
- Marc Gibbs, former Representative from Grace
- Lois Johnson, founding member of North Idaho Republicans
- Coeur d’Alene Attorney Evan Robertson and wife;
- Roberta Robertson, Twin Falls
- Christa Hazel, former Coeur d’Alene School Board Trustee
- D. Duff McKee, retired Idaho District Judge
- Wayne Kidwell, former Idaho Attorney General and Supreme Court Justice
- Doug Jones, former Representative from Twin Falls County
- Mark Dunham, former founding trustee of College of Western Idaho
- Greg Casey, former chief of staff for Congressman and Senator Larry Craig
- Kathy Skippen, former Representative and County Commissioner of Gem County
- Mark Snodgrass, former Representative from Meridian
- Amos Rothstein, former Executive Director of the Idaho Republican Party