What is a primary election?
• Major political parties (Democratic and Republican) nominate their candidates at a primary election, which is held on the third Tuesday in May of each even-numbered year. Only a voter who is registered as a member of either political party may vote for that partys candidates at the primary election unless the party opens its primary to voters registered as Not a member of a party. If this is the case, voters who are Not a member of a party must request major party ballots from their county elections office. • All nonpartisan offices (i.e. judges and district attorneys) are also on the primary election ballot. Any registered voter may vote for those candidates, regardless of the voters political party affiliation.
At a primary election the political parties select the candidates who will represent that party on the ballot in the next general election in November. California now has a “Modified Closed Primary System” which means that a political party has the option of allowing unaffiliated (“decline to state”) voters to vote for the candidates on their party’s ballot. Unaffiliated voters must request the ballot of one of those political parties or they will be given a ballot containing only measures and non-partisan candidates. See details about voting in the March 2, 2004 primary election. –> Q. When is a primary election held? A primary is held in June or earlier of even-numbered years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday. The California Legislature sets the primary date. In 2008, the primary date for the Presidential election is February 5. The primary for state and legislative offices is June 3. Q. What is a Presidential primary? During presidential election years, California holds a
