Existing law generally requires a voter to disclose a preference for a political party in order to participate in the political party’s primary election. Existing law permits a voter who has declined to disclose a political party preference to request the ballot of a political party at a partisan primary election if the political party, by party rule duly noticed to the Secretary of State, authorizes a voter who has declined to disclose a political party preference to vote the ballot of the political party at that election. Existing law requires, at a partisan primary election, a member of the precinct board to provide a no party preference voter with a uniform notification informing the voter that the voter may request a political party’s ballot, as specified.

This bill would authorize, at a partisan primary election, a nonpartisan ballot to include a statement informing a no party preference voter of the procedure for that voter to obtain a ballot that includes candidates for partisan office. The statement would be required to include an explanation of how the voter may change the voter’s party preference and how the voter may request a ballot of one of the political parties that has authorized no party preference voters to vote in its primary election.