How to Read Your Primary Ballot - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

How to Read Your Primary Ballot

This year, when you get your ballot, it's going to look a little different.  If you don't know about the changes, it may get confusing.

"If they're registered democrat they'll get a ballot with the democrat presidental candidate, if they're democrat they'll get central committee, where as if they're crossing over, they don't get central committee, and then we now have what's now called voter-nominated offices...For United States Senator there are 24 candidates, so we have candidates from Republican, Democrat, Liberatarian, Peace and Freedom, and American Independent...Challenging incumbent Diane Feinstein."  

Confused yet?  "There's a lot of moving parts," said Gail Pellerin, President of the CA Association of Clerks and Elections Officials.

Pellerin said the new primary voting process is something you wanted by passing Prop 14 in 2010, voter-nominated offices.

"These offices used to be partisan and restricted to party voters only, now they're opened to all voters."

So no matter which of the eight ballots you fill-out this election, you'll be able to vote on every single candidate in every single race, except for one.  

"We're still printing ballots by party because were still electing the presidential nominee by party," Pellerin said.

In other words, every ballot regardless of your party affliation will look the same, except for the box you check for President. The only choices you have for that office, will be the candidates running from your political party.

If you're not registered with a political party, you cannot vote for President in the primary.

In every other office, the top two vote getters will move on to November, even if they are in the same party.

"There's a large number to sort through and it's a vote for one," said Pellerin.

If you still need to register or re-register to vote, the deadline is next Monday the 21st.