Political Party Change Deadline for 9/13/22 Primaries

The last day to change your political party affiliation before the 9/13/22 Primary Elections is:     May 31st, 2022.

      The Supervisors of the Checklist will be meeting at Town Hall from 7 PM - 7:30 PM on Tues. May 31st for any last minute party change requests.

You missed the change date and are now stuck as a member of a party you don't want to be affiliated with? Don't worry, read on to understand what a Primary Election is and why your party affiliation may or may not be such a big deal.

      A Primary Election is a type of preliminary election held by each party to choose whom will represent them on the November General Election ballot. The winners from each party's candidates listed on their Primary ballot move forward to the November General Election where they will face off against each other for the actual office. Ex: A Democrat vs. a Republican for Governor.

      Only members of a stated party may participate in that party's Primary Election. Ex. Only a registered Democrat may vote in the Democrat's Primary Election and the same for Republican's. The Primary ballot for each party consists of ONLY that party's candidates who want to represent their party on the November General Election ballot. 

      Undeclared voters may participate in either party's Primary, if they choose to, by declaring their party affiliation to be with the party whose Primary Election they would like to participate in, at the polls, on the day of the Primary Elections. Undeclared voters can file a request to change back to undeclared status immediately after voting, while at the polls, if they wish to.

      Choosing not to participate in a Primary Election for any reason (ex. you are registered as a member of a party that you do not plan on voting for in the November General Election) does not prevent you from voting in the November General Election, where the winners will actually win the offices that they are running for.

      Because each Primary Election is a party specific election (ie: Democrats having their own Primary Election while Republicans have their own Primary Election), your party affiliation determines which ballot you will receive. Registered members of a party will only be able to vote on that party's ballot, which consists of only that party's candidates.

      This is not the case in the November General Election. Regardless of which Primary Election you participate in or what party you are registered with, or if you choose to not participate in a Primary Election at all, you will still be able to vote for ANY party and/or a mixture of both party's candidates on the November General Election ballot which is one mixed party ballot that consists of each party's Primary Election winners going against each other, head to head, to determine who will actually win the offices being run for.