Voting In A Presidential Primary

California’s presidential primary election takes place March 5, 2024. Political parties decide who can vote for their presidential primary candidates.

In the March 5 primary election, voters will nominate one presidential candidate from each party to run against each other in the November 5, 2024 general election.

You may need to take certain steps to vote for the presidential candidate you want in the primary election.

VOTERS REGISTERED WITH A POLITICAL PARTY

If you are registered with one of these six political parties in California, your ballot will list only that party’s presidential candidates:

• American Independent Party
• Democratic Party
• Green Party
• Libertarian Party
• Peace and Freedom Party
• Republican Party

You can vote only for that party’s presidential candidates.

If your party registration is different from the party of the presidential primary candidate you want to vote for, you will need to register to vote with that party. 

If you want to change your party registration, you should do so well before February 20, 2024.

VOTERS REGISTERED AS NONPARTISAN

(also known as “independent” or “no party preference”)

If you are registered as nonpartisan, you will automatically receive a Nonpartisan ballot for the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election. Your ballot will not list the presidential primary contest and candidates. There are nearly 490,000 voters in San Diego County registered as nonpartisan.

Nonpartisan voters can take steps to vote for a presidential candidate in the primary.

Political parties ALLOWING nonpartisan voters to crossover:

The American Independent Party, Democratic Party, and Libertarian Party are allowing nonpartisan voters to take part in their presidential primary elections.

Nonpartisan voters can request one of these three parties’ ballots and vote for that party’s presidential primary candidate. Selecting one of these three parties’ ballots will not register you with that party – you will remain as a nonpartisan voter.

The Democratic Party is allowing nonpartisan voters to vote in their presidential contest but not their Central Committee contest. If requested, you will receive the NP (nonpartisan) Democratic ballot. This ballot will include the presidential contest but not the contest related to the central committee.

Learn how to request one of these political parties’ ballots.

Political parties NOT ALLOWING nonpartisan voters to crossover:

The Green Party, Peace and Freedom Party, and Republican Party have closed their presidential primary to nonpartisan voters.

These parties are allowing only those registered with their parties to vote for their presidential candidates. Nonpartisan voters will not be able to select one of these ballots unless they re-register with that party.

If you want to change your party registration, you should do so well before February 20, 2024.