Register to Vote in California’s Presidential Primary
How to Register to Vote in California’s Presidential Primary Election March 3!
California’s Presidential Primary election is March 3. You must be registered to vote—and the deadline to register is February 18. To find out if you are registered, go to registertovote.ca.gov.
Voting in the presidential primary isn’t as simple as it could be.
If you are registered as an independent voter with ‘no party preference’ you will not see any candidates in the presidential primary on your ballot—regardless of whether you vote in person or by mail.
If you want to vote for a candidate in a specific party there are two options:
- If the candidate you want to vote for is in the Republican, Green, or Peace and Freedom party you must register for that party in order to vote for the candidate. The deadline to register and change your party affiliation is February 18.
- If the candidate is in the Democrat, Libertarian, or American Independent party, you must either request a ballot for that specific party, mail in the postcard you should have received in the mail if you are registered to vote by mail, or request a party ballot at your polling place if you are going to vote in person. The deadline for calling the registrar to get a specific party ballot by mail is February 25.
California should tell the political parties to stop confusing voters with these complicated requirements, but this an important election… So please, get registered and VOTE!!!
