California’s Modified Closed Primary Election law permits political parties to allow nonpartisan voters who are not registered with a qualified political party to vote a partisan ballot 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 June 6, 2006 Primary Election. The Sample Ballot booklet prepared by the county and mailed to unaffiliated voters will include ballot information for these parties. Ballot booklets will be mailed the second week of May. The three parties are:

• American Independent Party;
• Democratic Party; and
• Republican Party.

Unaffiliated voters who do not select a party’s ballot will receive a ballot that contains only the state propositions, nonpartisan contests, and local measures, if applicable. Voters affiliated with a qualified political party will be provided a ballot containing the names of candidates affiliated with that party who are seeking nomination to the partisan offices such as Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, U.S. Senate, Congress, State Board of Equalization, and State Assembly.

The Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Department has mailed postcards to all unaffiliated 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 June 6, will be mailed the nonpartisan ballot. All nonpartisan voters who vote at their assigned polling place may choose a partisan ballot when they sign-in with the election officials.

For the General Election on November 7, 2006 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.