Before most voters ever see a name on a November ballot, the real decisions have already been made.
That’s the argument coming out of the race for Oregon House District 3, where non-affiliated candidate Cobey Giesler is zeroing in on a part of the election process many voters rarely think about until it affects them directly. His focus isn’t on personalities or party clashes. It’s on the doorway itself—and who gets to walk through it.
Oregon runs a closed primary system. In plain terms, that means if you’re not registered with a major political party, you’re likely sitting on the sidelines when those parties choose their candidates. For Giesler, that’s not just a technical rule buried in election law. It’s a built-in filter that shapes outcomes long before most voters are allowed to weigh in.
“Oregon’s closed primary system excludes non-affiliated voters from participating in primary elections, even though their tax dollars help fund them,” Giesler said in his campaign statement. “This means many Oregonians are shut out of one of the most important stages of the democratic process.”
The frustration behind that statement reflects a quiet shift happening across Oregon. More voters are choosing not to align with any party at all. They still vote. They still pay taxes. But when primary season arrives, many of them are effectively spectators while others narrow the field.
By the time the general election rolls around, the choices have already been filtered through party-specific contests. Giesler argues that leaves a large block of voters picking from options they had no hand in shaping.
“This leads to frustration, lower participation, and a system where many voters are left choosing between candidates selected by parties they are not part of,” he said.
There’s a ripple effect to that setup. When candidates are selected primarily by party voters, campaigns tend to lean hard into their base. The incentive isn’t always to appeal broadly. It’s to win the room you’re already in. Giesler believes that dynamic quietly fuels division, not because voters want it, but because the system rewards it.
His campaign isn’t just pointing at the problem. It’s pointing toward a different approach.
One piece of that conversation is Initiative Petition 55, a proposal aimed at opening the primary process so more voters can take part, regardless of party affiliation. Advocacy efforts tied to groups like the Voter Fairness Project have been building momentum around the idea that early access to the ballot shouldn’t be restricted to party members.
Giesler sees that as a starting point, not a finish line.
“I believe these reforms would be most effective if paired with voting systems like ranked choice voting or STAR voting, along with meaningful campaign finance reforms,” he said. “Together, these changes would give voters more real choices, reduce polarization, and ensure elections are more representative of the people.”
Those alternative voting systems shift how choices are expressed. Instead of picking a single name and hoping for the best, voters can rank preferences or score candidates, allowing support to be measured in a more nuanced way. Supporters argue that approach rewards candidates who can connect beyond a narrow base and discourages the all-or-nothing tone that often dominates elections.
Giesler is also drawing attention to something less talked about but just as influential—visibility. Getting on the ballot is one hurdle. Being seen and heard is another. Candidates outside the party structure often face a tougher climb when it comes to media coverage, public forums, and voter awareness.
“Voters deserve access to information about all candidates, regardless of party or ballot status,” he said. “Equal access to media, forums, and interviews is essential to a fair and informed election.”
That message lines up with a broader network of reform-focused groups, including the Forward Party, Forward Oregon, and Good Party. These organizations have been pushing for structural changes that aim to break away from rigid party dynamics and open the system to a wider range of voices.
Still, changing how elections work is never simple. Systems like the current primary structure are deeply rooted, and for many voters, they feel familiar—even if they don’t feel entirely fair.
Giesler’s campaign is betting that more people are starting to notice the gap.
“Oregon voters deserve a system that includes them, not one that shuts them out,” he said.
In a race that might otherwise blend into the background of a crowded election cycle, that argument cuts straight to the mechanics of how choices are made. Not which candidate is better. Not which party wins. But who gets to be part of the decision in the first place.
Because by the time November arrives, the ballot may look open.
But the path to get there often isn’t.