California’s Modified Closed Primary Election law permits political parties to determine whether or not to allow nonpartisan voters the choice of voting for partisan candidates in PRIMARY Elections.

Three of California’s seven qualified political parties are offering nonpartisan voters the opportunity to vote their party’s ballot for the March 2, 2004 Primary Election. The Sample Ballot booklet prepared by the county will include ballot information for these parties and will be mailed beginning February 2, 2004. The three parties are:

• American Independent Party (all American Independent Party candidates)
• Democratic Party (all Democratic Party candidates except County Central Committees)
• Republican Party (all Republican Party candidates except President of the United States and the County Central Committees)

Nonpartisan voters who do not select a party’s ballot will receive a ballot that contains only the state propositions, local measures, and any nonpartisan contest on their ballot. Voters affiliated with a qualified political party will vote a ballot containing the names of candidates affiliated with that party who are seeking nomination to the partisan offices such as President, U.S. Senate, Congress, State Senate and State Assembly.

The Santa Cruz County Elections Department has mailed postcards to all nonpartisan voters who reside in precincts where they will automatically receive a ballot in the mail or are permanent absentee voters, so they may exercise their choice to vote a party ballot by mail. Voters who have not returned the postcard or chose not to participate in the partisan election on March 2, will be mailed the nonpartisan ballot. All non-partisan voters who vote at their assigned polling place may choose a partisan ballot when they sign-in with the election officials.

For the Presidential General Election on November 2, 2004 all nominees from all parties will appear on one ballot that is voted on by all voters regardless of political party affiliation or non-affiliation.

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