What voters in Calif.’s June 7 presidential primary should know

SAN FRANCISCO – Voters who will select a candidate for President in California’s primary election on June 7 should be aware of the rules that determine which presidential candidates they can vote for.

They may need to take action to make sure they can vote for their preferred candidate for President, the state’s Department of Elections advised.

There are six qualified political parties whose presidential candidates will appear on California’s June 7 election ballot: American Independent, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Peace and Freedom, and Republican.

Voters who selected a party preference when registering to vote will receive a ballot that lists that party’s candidates for President, and for the party’s county central committee or county council, if applicable. Voters with a party preference cannot vote for candidates running in a different party’s presidential primary.

Voters who did not select a party preference when registering to vote will receive a ballot that does not include a presidential contest unless they request a ballot of one of the parties allowing voters with no party preference to participate in their presidential primaries. The American Independent, Democratic, and Libertarian parties allow voters with no party preference to vote in their June 7 presidential primaries; the other parties do not allow voters with no party preference to vote in their presidential primaries.

Here is how voters with no party preference can request a party ballot, if they wish to do so:

• Voters who vote by mail and have received a ballot with no presidential contest can request a replacement party ballot—American Independent Party, Democratic Party, or Libertarian Party—from the Department of Elections.  To do so, voters can go to:

o   sfelections.org

o   Select the “June 7, 2016, Election” page

o   Select “Vote-by-mail and track your ballot”

o   Use the Ballot Request Form

Alternatively, voters may call the Department at (415) 554-4375 to request the Ballot Request Form to be mailed to them.

• Voters who want to vote by mail for this election can indicate their ballot choice on the Vote-by-Mail Application or application on the back cover of their Voter Information Pamphlet, which will be mailed in early May.
• Voters who vote at a polling place and want to vote a party ballot must request that ballot from a poll worker.
• Voters who want to vote for a presidential candidate of the Green Party, Peace and Freedom Party, or Republican Party must re-registerto vote by May 23 and indicate a preference for that party on their registration card.

The Department encourages voters to check their registration status, including party preference, at sfelections.org/VoterRegStatus or by calling the Department at (415) 554-4375.

The Department reminds voters who have moved, changed their name, or want to change their party preference that these changes require the completion of a new registration card or online application. Monday, May 23, is the last day to register or reregister to vote for the June 7 election. Registration is available online at registertovote.ca.gov or at the Department of Elections’ office in City Hall, Room 48. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Voter Registration Cards are also available at most post offices, San Francisco Public Library branches, and Department of Motor Vehicles offices.

Anyone with questions related to registration or voting is urged to call the Department of Elections at (415) 554-4375.  Telephone assistance is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Filipino, and via interpreter in many other languages.