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Amendment 3: All Voters Vote in Primary Elections for State Offices

Published  October 1, 2020 11:39pm EDT
2020 Election
FOX 35 Orlando

AMENDMENT 3 SUMMARY

  • “Allows all registered voters to vote in primaries for state legislature, governor, and cabinet regardless of political party affiliation. All candidates for an office, including party nominated candidates, appear on the same primary ballot. Two highest vote getters advance to general election. If only two candidates qualify, no primary is held and winner is determined in general election. Candidate’s party affiliation may appear on ballot as provided by law. Effective January 1, 2024.”

Amendment 3: All Voters Vote in Primary Elections for State Offices

Under Amendment 3, registered voters in Florida would be allowed to cast ballots in primary elections regardless of party affiliation.

LAKE MARY, Fla. - Under Amendment 3, registered voters in Florida would be allowed to cast ballots in primary elections regardless of party affiliation. The two candidates getting the most votes in each primary would advance to the general election.

The political committee All Voters Vote spearheaded the drive to put the proposal on the ballot. If approved, it would be a major change from Florida’s longstanding “closed” primary system, which generally limits primaries to voters registered with parties.

The Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Democratic Party united in court to try to block the proposed amendment and were backed by Attorney General Ashley Moody. 

"It is our belief that Top Two Open Primaries would have a strong adverse impact on African-American representation in Florida," says the League of Women Voters, which opposes the amendment. "Our position is to support an Open Primary system that would allow for the broadest possible voter participation."

READ FULL TEXT OF AMENDMENT 3 (PDF)