Why Doesn't the SCGOP Want to Close South Carolina's Primaries?
In recent years, the question of primary election formats has sparked robust debate among political parties and voters across the country. For the South Carolina Republican Party, this conversation is more than theoretical—it is vital to the long-term strength and ideological clarity of the party. While South Carolina currently holds open primaries, in which any registered voter can participate in either party’s primary regardless of party affiliation, there is a growing consensus among conservatives that the state must transition to a closed primary system. This move is about ensuring the South Carolina GOP can continue to define its own leadership and future.
The Case for Closed Primaries
At its core, a political party is a private association of individuals who share a common set of principles and policy goals. Just as private organizations are free to choose their leadership and set their agenda, political parties must be empowered to do the same. Open primaries allow voters who are not affiliated with the Republican Party to influence GOP candidate selection. This undermines the very purpose of having political parties in the first place.
In recent primary cycles, we’ve seen evidence that cross-over voting is possible. Organized efforts by progressive groups to influence Republican primaries have been documented in high-stakes races. These tactics can lead to the nomination of candidates who do not truly represent Republican values, diluting the party’s identity and weakening its ability to govern once in office.
Protecting Conservative Values
South Carolina is a proudly conservative state. The Republican Party has long been the political home for those who believe in limited government, individual liberty, free markets, and traditional values. When primaries are open to all voters, including Democrats and independents, it creates a pathway for the erosion of these principles from within.
A closed primary system ensures that only Republicans—those who have formally identified with the party—can choose its candidates. This protects the ideological core of the party and ensures that the candidates who emerge from the primary are truly representative of the GOP. It also encourages greater party loyalty and voter engagement, as citizens must affiliate with the party to have a say in its direction.
Strengthening the Party Infrastructure
Beyond ideological consistency, closed primaries benefit the South Carolina GOP by strengthening party infrastructure. When voters are required to register with a party in order to participate in its primary, it provides a valuable opportunity to build and maintain a robust voter database. This enhances outreach, fundraising, and get-out-the-vote efforts in elections.
SCGOP Sponsors “Closed Primary” Legislation That Doesn’t Close the Primaries
According to Representative Rob Harris, there has been a closed primary legislation filed in every legislative session for the past 19 years and our Republican supermajority fails to pass it every year.
This year, the South Carolina Republican Party is pushing “closed primary” bill H.3643 that doesn’t actually close the primaries. It stated that the filing period will be open “persons who are registered as unaffiliated, are registered as affiliated with another party, or both.” Listen to the full breakdown HERE.
The real closed primary bill that the SC GOP refuses to acknowledge is H.3310. Why is the South Carolina Republican Party trying to pass a bill that doesn’t effectively close the primaries and ignoring the legislation that does?
2012 Legal Battle to Close State Primaries
On June 1, 2010, the South Carolina Republican Party and Greenville County Republican Party sued the State of South Carolina and State Election Commission to close South Carolina’s primaries. On March 30, 2011, Obama appointee U.S. District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs denied Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgement. In her decision she cited the two similar cases in Virginia and Idaho. The Judge Childs denied the case for closed primaries because Virginia had multiple options for candidate selection so there was no presence of “forced association.” Since Idaho’s primary law was mandatory, it was ruled “unconstitutional as appointed to the Idaho Republican Party.” Since South Carolina also shares a similar structure to Virginia, Judge Childs denied the South Carolina closed primary case “given the availability of other nomination methods.” This means that since the South Carolina Republican Party is allowed by state law to use a different nomination method besides primaries (the alternative being by conventions), the Court ruled that the current primary method should not be changed. Read the full decision HERE. In the order denying the motion to alter judgement, the court “recognizes the need for further development of the record” to address the Plaintiffs’ challenge so the case continued.
Trial was set for August 1, 2012, but continued to be delayed until mid-2013. The three-day trial was eventually scheduled for August in the Spartanburg federal courthouse with Obama appointee Judge Mary G. Lewis presiding. However, in June, the South Carolina Republican Party withdrew from the lawsuit. According to Ballot Access News, the Executive Director Alex Stroman stated that the party still supports the lawsuit and will let Greenville County Republican Party carry on by itself but want to save attorneys’ bills. This move was a massive blow to the case and the court ended summary judgement in favor of the defendants. You can find the entire timeline of the case HERE.
The Time Is Now
If the South Carolina GOP wants to remain a powerful force for conservative governance, it must take action to secure its primary process. By ensuring that Republican nominees are chosen by Republicans, the party can remain faithful to its platform, energize its base, and present a united front in general elections.
Contact the SC House Judiciary Committee members and your State Representative and ask them to vote for H.3310 that will effectively close South Carolina’s primaries.