My heart broke again tonight.

No, it was not due to being rejected, losing my job or even going to the post office two minutes after closing. No, my heart wept yet again as I watched powerlessly as millions of fellow Americans were unceasingly denied the right to vote in their respective primary (New York).

Now, before I delve further - who am I? And who am I to question “the system”? I admit, I am not a politician, political science expert, or even qualified to serve my local mayor coffee.

But who I am does not matter, it is what I am that does. I am an American, and by that definition - I am qualified enough to voice my opinions, state my beliefs, and vote for the individual I hope to lead my country. Of course, strictly speaking, I have to also be a law abiding, registered, “mentally competent” adult to vote. But, since when did I have to also be a registered member of a political party to do so?

As a former foster child who spent her early years overseas, I too felt the sensation of pride, and honor when my first American teacher told me “as Americans, we have this superpower. It may not be much but here, the people choose its leaders.” However, this so-called superpower - the one that we wield as individuals - has now become a politically engineered muscle of larger entities. At an alarming rate - a large number of us no longer vote as “the people”, but rather as fractured beings that involuntarily push the agendas of political parties.

Of course, it may be rational to argue that “only members of the party should choose who runs” and that closed primaries deter candidates from “moderating” their views in order to appeal to independents. In addition, closed primaries may simultaneously decrease the risk of the rival party from choosing your candidate through crossover voting. However, even so, there are flaws in this argument as one could also register as a member of the opposite party and voters may also vote non-partisan in major elections.

Furthermore, I am not utterly discrediting the effectiveness or strength of political parties. As humans, we have an innate habit to cling to others that share our opinions, and politically, it is more likely for our voices to be heard as many in contrast to that of one.

However, my argument is neither explicitly against political parties or an endorsement of independent voting. In specificity, it is one against closed primaries.

In our country’s past, present, and future - there will always be a candidate (whether numerous or scarce) that share our interests and values. Nonetheless, we must openly acknowledge that such candidates may or may not be a member of our affiliated party. Thus, the disclusion of independent voters in New York should never happen again. In other words, regardless of a candidate's’ policy, all candidates deserve a fighting chance and if they have justly earned the heart of the people, then that vote deserves to be cast and heard.

Excluding viable voices in our primaries only figuratively votes against our best interests and that must come to an end. In other words, we often forget that the goal of the election is to empower our country, not our party. Barring voters due to one’s political affiliation is not only constitutionally wrong but simultaneously deprives the unification of common citizens fighting for America’s best chance.