Chelsea voters will see Question 3 on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot. It asks whether Massachusetts should replace party primaries with one primary open to every candidate.

Here's a plain-language look at what it would do and what each side says. The Chelsea Pulse does not take a position.

How primaries work now

Today, voters enrolled in a party can vote only in that party's primary. Unenrolled voters can choose either the Democratic or Republican ballot, Boston.com explained. Independent candidates skip the primary and go straight to the November ballot.

What Question 3 would change

Under the official summary from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the plan would:

Put all candidates for an office on one primary ballot, regardless of party

Let every voter choose any candidate

Send only the top two vote-getters to the November ballot

That means two candidates from the same party could face each other in November. A party could also end up with no candidate at all.

Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor would run together as a ticket. Candidates could list their party on the ballot. A party could endorse a candidate, and the ballot would say so if both request it.

A group whose candidate for statewide office gets at least 3% of primary ballots would gain official party status. The change would take effect Jan. 1, 2028.

Which races it covers

WBUR reported that it would cover statewide offices, U.S. House and Senate races, state legislative seats, the Governor's Council, and county and district offices like sheriff and district attorney. It would not apply to presidential or municipal elections, so Chelsea City Council races wouldn't change.

The case for

Danielle Allen of the Coalition for Healthy Democracy wrote the official argument in favor. She argues that insiders have an advantage, that candidates can be blocked at party conventions and that many legislative seats go uncontested.

Supporters say all-party primaries would bring more competition and accountability. "We are quite literally the last in the nation when it comes to competition in our elections," said Jesse Littlewood, campaign manager for the Coalition for Healthy Democracy. WBUR reported that 60% of state House and Senate races have only one candidate on the November ballot.

The case against

Vanessa A. Snow of Voter Rights MA wrote the official argument against. She argues that top-two systems in California and Washington have favored wealthy, self-funded candidates and corporate PACs. She also says third-party and independent candidates would be shut out of the November ballot.

The state Democratic and Republican parties both oppose the question.

What lawmakers said

In May, a majority of the Legislature's Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions recommended no action on the proposal. Its concerns included vote splitting, voter confusion and how party endorsements would work for lower offices.

What your vote means

A yes vote replaces separate party primaries with a single all-party primary, where the top two advance.

A no vote keeps the current primary system.

What to watch

The official summary describes the change as applying to "state elections." The list of covered races above comes from WBUR's reporting. Voters can read the full text of the proposed law on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website.