Dana Hess writes for South Dakota Searchlight, an online news organization.

Tuesday’s primary election could be the last of its kind in South Dakota. In November, voters will consider Constitutional Amendment H which, if approved, would drastically change the way primaries are conducted in this state.

Amendment H would open the primaries to all registered voters, regardless of party affiliation or the lack of party affiliation. All candidates would be on the ballot during the primary, with the top winners advancing to the November election. The advancing candidates could be from different parties or from the same party.

The open primaries change would apply to races for governor, the Legislature, U.S. Senate and House and elected county offices. As an example, in the case of the race for governor, the top two candidates would advance to the fall election. In the case of the South Dakota State House, where two candidates are elected in most districts, four candidates would advance.

The best part of Amendment H is that it opens the primary system to all registered voters, not just those affiliated with a political party. This is particularly important in the case of the Republican Party, which is dominant in South Dakota. Often positions are filled in Pierre and at the county level during the Republican Party primary if there are no independent or Democratic Party challengers.

It just doesn’t seem right that taxpayers should get the privilege of paying for a primary and then be shut out of it if they don’t belong to that party. The Democratic Party opens its primary to independents, but voters are locked out of the Republican Party primary unless they belong to the GOP.

As Amendment H heads for the fall election, the state’s Democratic Party has decided to remain neutral on the issue. Some Republicans are dead set against it.

“We are 110% opposed to the idea,” South Dakota Republican Party Chair John Wiik told South Dakota Searchlight. “It’s our job in the Republican Party to put out the best candidates and decide who’s going to represent us on the general election ballot.”

Wiik’s big talk would be easier to take seriously if he could back it up with some money to pay for his party’s share of the primary.

Or, if the primary isn’t to his liking anymore, the Republicans could caucus or make their candidate selections at a convention. Primaries aren’t the only way to choose candidates.

It’s odd that Wiik is 110% opposed to Amendment H because, based on the current primary, it looks like Republicans would benefit the most from the change. Republicans have the most to gain from the proposed system because they are fielding far more candidates than Democrats.

Legislative primary challenges are a growth industry in the Republican Party with 44 taking place across the state this June. Democrats have one Senate primary. With the Democrats’ dearth of candidates, they may have been better off talking one of those candidates into changing districts.

According to the Secretary of State’s website, Republicans are fielding more than 150 legislative candidates in the primary and the general election. Democrats have just over 50. If voters approve of Amendment H and that 3 to 1 candidate advantage holds true in the next election, there will be far more Republican choices for voters than Democratic choices.

This year, Democrats made their best effort in recent history to attract candidates. They still fell far short of filling the ballot with 19 candidates for the 35-member Senate and 33 candidates for the 70-member House. It’s hard to believe this new system would hurt the Republican Party given that they’re fielding so many more candidates than Democrats.

Some citizens may be happy with keeping most of the old system and just constitutionally mandating that the primaries be open to all registered voters. It only seems fair that people who pay for an election get to take part in it.

This fall, South Dakota voters will have to decide if they like the other big change in Amendment H, advancing the top primary candidates with the most votes to the fall election regardless of party affiliation.