SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego Registrar of Voters says this election is one of the most complex and confusing elections of our time and a crucial deadline is coming up for San Diego voters.
If you are a nonpartisan, mail-in voter, Jan. 6, 2020, is the last day to declare a party preference if you want to cast your vote in the Presidential primary.
Attention to all 1.8 million San Diego voters! The primaries are just 60 days away. Are you ready? Here is a quick check-list:
- Are you registered?
- Is your name and address updated?
- Is your party affiliation correct?
If your party affiliation is correct, then you can vote for presidential candidates, only in that specific party. For example, you must be declared a Republican to vote in the GOP primary, Democrat to vote in the Democratic Primary Elections, etc.
If you are declared as a nonpartisan voter, and you want your vote counted for the Presidential primary, you have until election day to re-register to a specific party. In fact, a new law allows any voter to register their party preference on Election Day.
But San Diego County Registrar, Michael Vu asks, why put it off until the last second?
"Don't use that as a rule of thumb. Use that as the exception, the measure of last resort," Vu said. "Doing that on election day will only create a longer line on election day."
If you are a nonpartisan, mail-in voter who wants to vote for a presidential candidate, you must re-register to a specific party by next Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. You have three options:
- Re-register for a crossover ballot for the American Independent Party
- Re-register for a crossover ballot for the Democratic Party
- Re-register for a crossover ballot for the Libertarian Party
This year, the Green, Peace and Freedom, and Republican parties have chosen not to allow nonpartisan voters to participate in Presidential primaries.
If you miss the Jan. 6 deadline, you can still vote on your default nonpartisan mail-in ballot. This allows you to vote for ballot measures, but you will not be able to vote for a Presidential candidate.
To re-register your party affiliation, you can send back the mailer you received last November. You can also visit sdvote.com, click "Nonpartisan Crossover Party Ballot Request Form," and e-mail your response. You can also call the Registrar's office and request a change.
