Unaffiliated Voters
If you are registered to vote as an unaffiliated voter (meaning not with a specific party), you were mailed both major party ballots. Voting the ballot of a political party does not affiliate you with either of these major political parties.
For every primary election, all active unaffiliated voters will automatically be mailed one ballot for both major parties (Democrat and Republican). An unaffiliated voter may vote and return only one ballot. If a voter marks and returns more than one ballot, none of their votes will be counted. Please tear up and discard/recycle the second unvoted ballot.
- Can I preselect my ballot preference?
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No. This used to be an option. However, it was causing more confusion than necessary and most voters were not choosing to pre-select their ballot.
- Can I vote for a candidate in both party’s primary?
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This is not permitted. A vote can be cast in only one party’s primary. If a voter marks and returns more than one party’s ballot, none of their votes will be counted.
- Are parties required to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in their primary election?
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Major parties are required to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in their primary election. Minor parties, on the other hand, may refuse to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in their primary.
- I am an unaffiliated voter. Why did I get two ballots sent to me during a primary?
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All unaffiliated voters will receive the ballots of both major political parties during a primary election. This allows an unaffiliated voter to choose which party's primary they will vote in. Unaffiliated voters may only return one party's ballot. Returning two voted ballots will result in neither ballot counting.
- Can I participate in a party's caucus meeting if I am unaffiliated?
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No. To participate in a party caucus meeting a voter must join that party before the party's caucus. However, unaffiliated voters are still eligible to vote in any participating party's primary election.
- Besides caucus meetings, what other election activities are available only to members of a party?
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A voter must be a member of a political party to participate and vote in that party’s county assembly. Delegates to each party’s county assembly are elected at precinct caucuses. Delegates to higher district assemblies and the state convention are elected at each major party’s county assembly.
A voter must be a member of a political party to sign a petition for a candidate of that party. An individual cannot run for office with a party without first being a member of that party.