Primary Elections - Registrar of Voters (DEP)

The State of California has a Modified Closed Primary system which allows voters affiliated with a qualified political party in California to vote in partisan contests for their party. Unaffiliated (“decline to state” or registered in an unqualified party) voters may participate in a political party’s primary election if authorized by an qualified party’s rules and duly noticed by the Secretary of State, otherwise, unaffiliated voters can only participate in nonpartisan contests. (Senate Bill 28 – CH. 898, Stats. 2000) Learn more about California’s Primary Elections.

Qualified parties in California: American Independent, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Peace & Freedom, and Republican. All other parties have not qualified for the June 8, 2010 Primary Election.

If you do not know your party affiliation, call (408) 299-VOTE [8683] or toll-free (866) 430-VOTE [8683]. To change your party, you must complete a new Voter Registration Form.

Select your party from the menu below in order to learn what partisan contests will be on your ballot. Show all.

Voters who are not affiliated with a qualified political party will receive a Nonpartisan Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet and official ballot. These will not show any partisan contests.

Unaffiliated voters may request a crossover ballot for either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. These parties allow unaffiliated voters to vote for their candidates in all partisan contests except Central Committee. A new Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet will not be mailed to the voter.

Unaffiliated Vote by Mail or Mail Ballot Precinct voters will be sent a mailer with a return postcard notifying them of their ballot options. After receiving the voter’s response for a crossover ballot, a new ballot will be mailed. Once the voter receives their new ballot, the nonpartisan ballot should be destroyed.

Partisan contests for the June 8, 2010 Primary Election: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Member of State Board of Equalization, United States Senator, Member of Congress, State Senator and Member of Assembly and Party Central Committees.

VOTE BY MAIL OR MAIL BALLOT PRECINCT VOTERS MAY REQUEST A CROSSOVER BALLOT:

Vote by Mail voters who already received a nonpartisan ballot, may request a crossover ballot by using the Crossover Ballot Request Form. Vote by Mail voters may also surrender their nonpartisan ballot at their polling place and request a crossover ballot from the election officer – Find your polling place.

Mail Ballot Precinct voters who did not respond to their mailer may request a crossover ballot using this form – Crossover Ballot Request Form.

Crossover Ballot Request Form: This signed form may be submitted by fax or mail on or before June 1st, after which Mail Ballot Precinct voters must come to the Registrar of Voters' Office to receive a crossover ballot or request to vote a provisional ballot at any polling place on Election Day.

FAX: (408) 293-9002
MAIL: Vote by Mail Division, PO Box 611750, San Jose, CA 95161-1750

Voters registered to vote in the Democratic Party will receive a Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet and an official ballot showing only Democratic candidates for partisan offices, as well as all candidates in nonpartisan contests and ballot measures.