Synopsis

California goes to the polls on June 7 for a variety of things including the presidential and state primaries.  There is *some* flexibility in which party primary you can vote in, but there are limits based on how you are registered to vote.  If you are already registered and do not want to make changes, you do not need to do anything (see below for how to verify your registration). If you want to change your party affiliation, change to “no preference”, or newly register, you must complete your new or modified voter registration form no later than May 23.  Register now at http://registertovote.ca.gov


Full Article

How you are registered to vote (which political party) determines which one or multiple party primaries you can vote for in on June 7th.

• If you are registered to a party (e.g., Democrat or Republican), you can only vote in the primary for the party you are registered for. In other words, if you are registered as a Democrat, you can only vote in the Democratic primary, and if you are registered as a Republican, you can only vote in the Republican primary.

• If you are, however, registered as an Independent (those with no party preference stated), you can vote in ONE of three primaries: American Independent Party, Democratic Party, or Libertarian Party. Specifically, you cannot vote in the Republican primary – only a registered Republican can.

If you are registered as “No Party Preference”, and want to participate in “crossover voting,” here’s how it works in Los Angeles County. “Vote By Mail voters who are registered as No-Party Preference and want to vote for one of those three respective parties can do so, but will first need to fill out a “crossover” ballot request. Voters who will be voting at the polls and are registered as No-Party Preference simply need to request a “crossover” ballot upon checking-in at their polling location. Please note that if you choose to request a “crossover” ballot, it will not change your registered party preference.” See http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/political-parties/no-party-preference/ and https://www.lavote.net/home/voting-elections/voting-options/crossover-voting

In California, you can change your registered party affiliation, change to no party preference stated, or file a new registeration, 15 calendar days before the election. In the case of this election, that’s May 23 at 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

You can check the status of your registration at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status/ — but take note, filing the application doesn’t change your status instantly. It still needs to be verified against DMV or other records.

To change your party, you simply re-register. To change or newly register, you must complete and submit the registration application by the same May 23rd deadline. Use this form at http://registertovote.ca.gov

If you have questions, see the frequently-asked-questions page at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions/#primary-election

Regardless of your party affiliation, if you are over 18, and a US Citizen, it’s your responsibility to vote. Make sure you are registered so that you can fulfill that responsibility on June 7th.