Acting Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan reminds voters who are registered as “Decline to State” or “Nonpartisan” that they may crossover and choose American Independent or Democratic party ballots in the Feb. 5 Presidential Primary Election.
Voters can also vote a nonpartisan ballot using statewide measures and local ballot propositions only.
Under California’s “Modified Closed Primary” law that passed in 2002, each established political party may request that “Nonpartisan” or “Decline to State” voters be allowed to cross over and vote in their scheduled party primary elections. For this election only, the American Independent or Democratic Parties requested that this option be exercised.
“This is the first time that the Democratic and Republican parties have made different decisions with regard to allowing cross over voting for nonpartisan voters,” Logan said. “We have undertaken an aggressive voter education campaign in order to avoid confusion so that voters who are eligible and choose to cross over can do so.”
Logan’s office mailed letters to all permanent nonpartisan mail-in voters notifying them of their options, included notices in sample ballot packets mailed to every registered voter and trained poll workers extensively so that nonpartisan voters who vote at their polling location will be aware of their options on election day.
Additional information, including a full explanation of crossover voting may be found on the recorder’s Web site at www.lavote.net. Voters may also call the recorder at (800) 815-2666.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 2, 2008. Read the original PDF.