ERWIN, Tenn. — The executive committee of the Tennessee Republican Party plans to meet next month to discuss a proposal that would change the primary election process.
GOP leaders will discuss a resolution that would essentially recommend that lawmakers pass legislation that would close primaries, The Johnson City Press reported.
That would mean voters would have to register with their political party before casting a ballot in primary elections, and they could only vote for candidates identifying with the same party. For example, only those registered as Republican can vote for Republican candidates in the primary.
Former Unicoi County sheriff and Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committeeman Kent Harris said he favors a closed primary and was one of 16 members to request the special-called meeting in Nashville on Feb. 7.
“On the day of the primary, you can go in and say you’re a Republican, even though you’ve voted Democrat, maybe going to vote Democrat in the future,” Harris said. “There’s really no loyalty test to say, ‘I’m really a member of this party to vote in the primary election.'”