Jarell Corley: To remake Illinois politics for the better, we need open primaries

One step Illinois should take is to implement nonpartisan open primary elections. This would allow independent-minded candidates to run for office, voters to truly choose the best candidate for the job and newly elected leaders to work in an environment that rewards effective governance. In the last decade or so, Alaska, California and Washington have overhauled their primary election system and no longer have Democratic and Republican primaries. Instead, all voters can choose from among all the candidates, with the top candidates advancing to the general election. Recently, a constitutional amendment proposal in Missouri and a ballot initiative in Nevada have sought to establish open primaries.