The 2024 general election in November will decide who will be the President of the United States for the next four years. But way before that, California voters have another big election around the corner on March 5: Our state’s presidential primary.
Among other things, the March primary election allows voters to choose the candidate from their preferred political party that they ultimately want to run for president in November. But if you’re registered as a “no party preference” voter (sometimes referred to as an “independent”), you’ll need to take action to be able to vote in these races — because the ballot you received in the mail won’t have any presidential candidates on it.
Another twist: The type of action you have to take depends on what party’s candidate you want to vote for in March. But luckily, it’s not too late. Keep reading for everything you need to know about voting in California’s presidential primaries as a no party preference (NPP) voter.
(And if you’re looking for information about what’s on your ballot, take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide, which unpacks ballot measures and compares candidates in the most important races in the Bay Area.)
Jump straight to: How to vote for a presidential candidate in
- The Democratic Party, the American Independent Party or the Libertarian Party
- The Green Party, the Peace and Freedom Party or the Republican Party
I can’t remember whether I’m registered as no party preference (NPP). How do I check?
You can visit the state’s website, registertovote.ca.gov, and hit “Check your registration status.” You can also call the Voter Hotline at 800-345-VOTE (8683) for your voter status.
You certainly won’t be the only California voter figuring this out, said Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation. “It’s going to be challenging for voters and election officials alike because it’s been a while since people voted,” she noted.
“They may have forgotten how they registered to vote, what party they registered to vote with,” Alexander said. “And that will determine their voting choices for president.”
21.95% of voters are registered as NPP in California — a drop from 25.90% in 2020. At 27.11%, Santa Clara County actually holds the greatest percentage of NPP voters in the entire state.
(One small thing to note: Even though being a no party preference Voter is sometimes known as being an independent voter, that’s not the same thing as being a member of the American Independent Party.)
When I receive my NPP ballot in the mail without any presidential candidates on it, what should I do with it?
“The good news is that nobody has to vote with the ballot that they get in the mail if they don’t want to,” Alexander said.
So, if you, in fact, want to cast a vote for a presidential candidate in the primary, do not fill out and submit that first ballot you were sent.
Not only will that first ballot not give you any presidential nominees to vote on (because you’re an NPP voter), but if you do submit it, you will not be able to fill out any new ballot with presidential candidates on it because you will have already voted by submitting that first ballot.
Instead, you can follow the steps below, depending on which party you want to vote for, and that first ballot will be canceled. Your NPP status will also prevent you from voting for candidates for party central committees, the governing body of the local political parties. Those elections are only open to party members. But NPP voters won’t have to take any action to vote in the primary for U.S. Senate or state legislature.
I’m NPP, and I want to vote for a presidential candidate in the Democratic Party, the American Independent Party or the Libertarian Party.
These three political parties hold what’s called “modified-closed presidential primaries,” — which means that as well as accepting votes from their registered party members, they also allow NPP voters to vote for their presidential nominees without having to register with that party.
To vote in the March primary for a presidential candidate from the Democratic Party, the American Independent Party or the Libertarian Party, you can:
1. Request a cross-over ballot from your county elections office
You can print a cross-over ballot request form (PDF), fill it out, and return it to your county elections office by:
- Fax
- Email (the online form is not editable, so you’ll have to scan a completed print version and attach it to your email)
Additionally, the state also said that you can submit your request for a cross-over ballot by phone.
You can request a cross-over ballot in person from your county elections office up until Election Day. If you do this, it’s a good idea to bring along the original ballot you were sent so it can be canceled on the spot. Find your local county elections office’s contact details.
Feb. 27 — one week before Election Day, March 5 — is your last day to request a cross-over ballot by mail, fax or email. Between Feb. 28 and March 5, you’ll need to request one in person (see below).
As long as you requested it in time, your new cross-over ballot will arrive in the mail, and the original ballot you were sent in early February — the one that didn’t have any presidential candidates on it — will be canceled, as long as you haven’t already submitted it.
2. Request a cross-over ballot when you vote in person
If you want to vote for a presidential candidate from the American Independent, Democratic, or Libertarian party in person, ask a poll worker for a new ballot with those candidates when checking in at an in-person voting location after voting opens in your county. And as mentioned above, you can do this at your county elections office, too.
You’ll be handed a new ballot that includes that party’s presidential nominees, which you can fill out and submit there and then. If you do this, it’s a good idea to bring along the original ballot you were sent so it can be canceled on the spot.
But again, remember: If you’ve already filled out and submitted that first ballot that arrived in the mail, you cannot request and submit any new cross-over ballot either by mail or in person.