The state primaries are finally upon us, thank goodness. If those automated phone ads had grown more frequent, I may have needed a second line for live calls. The phone blurbs are a common, if irksome, aspect of campaigning distributed throughout Tooele County in bulk by Republicans. The messages may largely be falling on deaf ears, however.

The majority of Utah voters are Independent or unaffiliated, yet the state GOP continues to hold closed primary elections. That means any outside party is prohibited from voting for a Republican candidate unless they join the red team first. With closed caucuses also in play, several registered voters have essentially no voice whatsoever in regard to Tooele County’s most prominent primary candidates.

Why the closed primary? Party-liners justify the exclusivity on various grounds, but to those of us who prefer keeping our options open, forced party fealty amounts to little more than standard political opportunism.

For the sake of voters, and perhaps their own party, Utah Republicans should rethink closed primary elections.

Loyal GOPers will insist there is a perfectly valid rationale for excluding “outside” voters. Maybe so, but the standard points don’t stand up to scrutiny. “Raiding” may be the most commonly-named reason — a practice whereby members from one party cross over to vote for the opposing party’s weaker candidate. Ironically, such a tactic has recently been floated among certain Republicans to exploit the Utah Democratic Party’s open primary. But, inherent stink aside, such schemes almost never translate to results. Rush Limbaugh couldn’t even pull it off with his 2008 “Operation Chaos.” Two open primaries basically cancel out threats of partisan sabotage.

Some portray closed primaries as a matter of loyalty. After all, shouldn’t it be those who have vested time and means to the Republican cause who vote for the Republican candidates? That sounds principled enough, except the Utah GOP has no such restriction regarding financial donations. Oddly enough, political affiliation isn’t even a supplied field on the party’s donation webpage. If state Republicans aren’t worried where their money comes from, why fuss over who votes for their candidates?

The reason is that closed primaries serve a far more practical role: to snatch up more registered Republicans. The party switched from an open voting format in 2003, when the large majority of Utah voters were unaffiliated. A five-year drop in unclaimed voters followed, apparently enriching the ranks of registered Republicans. In 2008, the party extended closed primaries for another five years.

The scheme makes sense from a tactical standpoint, reinforcing two-party politics and consequently solidifying Republican dominance. But to frame closed primaries as anything short of political is entirely disingenuous, and frankly an insult to conservative Independents cut out of the loop.

Yes, unaffiliated voters could simply sign the dotted line and play the game. But that’s just the point, isn’t it? They shouldn’t have to. By closing its primaries, the Utah GOP is essentially telling voters to pick a color or take a hike. Such cynical party tactics are precisely why many citizens refuse to affiliate themselves in the first place.

The state GOP isn’t shutting out voters in practice, but in principle. With a rising disdain for politics as usual and the growing number of unaffiliated voters, it’s time Utah’s Republican establishment reevaluates their approach to primary elections.

Matt Rowley is a teacher at Copper Canyon Elementary who lives in Tooele. He can be reached at matrowl@yahoo.com.