JEFFERSON CITY – Instead of an open primary where voters are free to decide whether to choose a Republican or Democratic party ballot, some Missouri House members want a closed primary. “There is momentum building,” Rep. Peggy McGaugh said. McGaugh said she opposes closed primaries as a burden on county clerks, who would have to re-register and assign all voters a party affiliation. She sympathizes with county clerks, who handle elections in most counties, as she served nearly 24 years as the Carroll County clerk. Another issue is that the clerks would have to assign a voter’s party affiliation several months before an election, including before candidates have identified themselves, McGaugh said. Signing up weeks in advance would not let voters base their party affiliation on an emerging candidate. For example, if someone like former President Trump decided to run after a voter had chosen a Democratic Party ballot, then that voter could not later change to cast a ballot for Trump…