I was born and raised in North Jersey, the youngest of three sisters. Service runs in my family. My sisters both joined the Navy, and I turned down a full college scholarship to enlist in the Marine Corps.

 

On Sept. 11, 2001, I was on duty at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. I watched the towers fall and helped secure our building. My oldest sister’s ship, the USS Enterprise, had just returned from deployment and was immediately turned back to sea. My middle sister — then working in communications — was sending battle orders to that very same ship. That day, the abstract idea of “defending democracy” became painfully real.

 

I later left active duty, married a fellow Marine, and started a family. My husband deployed for the birth of our child because his unit was supporting the invasion of Iraq. Together we got through six deployments, many trainings, and five moves. I built a small-business career along the way. Like many military families, we learned to adapt, serve our neighbors, and keep going.

For years, I didn’t think much about politics.

 

I voted along a party line without reflection and, during moves or deployments, sometimes skipped voting altogether. After 2016, I began paying closer attention — to which companies deserved my business, to how our political rules shape the leaders we get, and to the values we reward. As my son became a teenager, his questions about fairness and accountability forced me to do my homework. I realized I didn’t fit neatly into either major party and registered as an independent.

 

In June 2024, my fiancé and I moved to Danville for his new job and for the mountains and seasons we both love. We fell for Pennsylvania quickly — the people, the history, the feeling of possibility that even our small town carries.

 

We encouraged everyone we knew to vote.

 

In a swing state, every ballot feels like it matters.

 

Then the primaries came. I learned I could not vote because I am an independent. It felt like the door to the real decision had been closed in my face. The very first time I tried to cast a ballot as a proud new Pennsylvania resident, I discovered a system that rewards political elites and shuts out ordinary citizens.

I am not alone. More than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians are barred from voting in the primaries that often decide who will represent us in November. Many of us are veterans. We raised our right hands to defend the Constitution, not a party platform. We put country first.

 

Our election rules should do the same.

 

Opening Pennsylvania’s primaries is not a win for one party or the other. It is a win for voters. Taxpayers fund these elections. Every taxpayer should be able to participate. When more voters can weigh in earlier, candidates must compete for broader support, and the eventual winners are accountable to all of us, not only to a party base.

 

This change is about culture as much as rules. In uniform, I served with Americans from every background and belief. We did not ask who someone voted for. We asked how to get the job done. Open primaries move our politics closer to that standard. They welcome more voices, reward cooperation, and reduce the incentive to play only to the loudest extremes.

 

My path to this work is simple. I want my vote to count from start to finish. I want my son to see a system that invites him in. I want small business owners, young people and returning veterans to feel that their voices matter in every stage of an election, not only in November. That is why I recently began volunteering with Veterans for All Voters. We are a nonpartisan community of veterans working to make politics fair, open and competitive. We are not interested in party games. We are interested in results that serve our neighbors.

 

Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American democracy. As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, we should lead again. Let every voter, including independents and veterans, help choose the candidates who will appear on the November ballot. Give us a primary that reflects who we are: A commonwealth with strong communities, deep patriotism and a belief that leadership must be earned.

To lawmakers in Harrisburg, the choice is clear: Trust the people who sent you there. Open the primaries.

 

To my fellow Pennsylvanians, especially those who served, add your voice. Tell your story. And to my brothers- and sisters-in-arms, let’s demand a system that matches the values we wore on our sleeves — freedom, accountability, and service to all.

I served my country. I live, work, and pay taxes in this commonwealth. I should be able to vote in the elections my taxes fund. Let us in. Let us vote.