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Voter Registration and
the Significance of Party Affiliation
The U.S. Constitution left to the
states the right to determine the process by which candidates would be nominated
to appear on general election ballots. Statewide primary elections are the
political party's nomination portion of the process. Party primaries had become
a national phenomenon by 1901 - around the time of Teddy Roosevelt's
Presidential election. There are four types of primaries currently in use:
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A unitary primary - found only in
Louisiana;
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A blanket primary - found only in
Alaska and Washington state;
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An open primary - found in 20
states. Registered voters, regardless of the voter's party affiliation, may
vote in one of either party's primary. You declare your party choice at the
polls on election day.
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A closed primary - found in 27
states - one of which is Florida. Closed primaries require
that only persons registered as members of a party can vote in that party's
primaries. Party affiliation is declared at the time you register.
Florida is one of nine states
requiring a candidate to receive at least 50% plus one vote in the primary in
order to become the party nominee. If no candidate receives that number of
votes, there is a runoff or second primary.
Florida Statute 97.052 requires the
designation of party affiliation or the designation of no party affiliation at
the time of registration. Florida Statute 97.1031 stipulates a voter may change
his party affiliation by providing written notification to the Supervisor of
Elections. Florida Statute 97.055 provides a voter may change his political
party at any time up until the registration books "close" which is 29 days prior
to the election date. Further, no party changes can be processed between the
first primary book closing date and the day after the runoff (2nd) primary
election date. All party changes must be in writing under oath and signed by the
elector.
Florida Statutes 100.061 provides the
purpose of a primary election is to select a party "nominee" who will face the
challenging party's nominee (major and minor parties) and any "independent"
candidates (as used here, it does not mean Independent Party) in the general
election. A primary is an election within a political party.
For primary elections, Florida
Statute 101.021 provides an elector can vote only for those candidates who
belong to the same political party as the elector - which is a CLOSED primary.
What does a closed primary
mean to you as a Florida voter?
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You must declare a party
preference or no preference at the time you register.
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Electors registered with no
party affiliation can vote only for non-partisan and judicial candidates
or issues which might be on the ballot for the first primary only; you cannot
vote in a runoff (2nd) primary election.
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Electors registered with a
"minor" party can vote only for non-partisan, judicial candidates or
issues which might be on the ballot (first primary only) plus participate in
their respective "minor" party primary if there is one; they cannot vote in a
runoff (2nd) primary election unless there is one for the minor party.
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Electors registered as Democrat
can vote only for Democratic candidates, non-partisan and judicial candidates,
or issues which might be on the ballot.
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Electors registered as
Republican can vote only for Republican candidates, non-partisan and
judicial candidates, or issues which might be on the ballot.
Pursuant to Art. VI, Sec. 5(b), the
Florida Constitution: "If all candidates for an office have the same party
affiliation and the winner will have no opposition in the general elections, all
qualified electors, regardless of party affiliation, may vote in the primary
elections for that office."
General elections,
held pursuant to the U.S. Constitution, are always open. The
political party registration of the voter or the candidate is mute - to wit: a
voter who belongs to Party X may vote for the candidate of Party Y for president
and for the party X candidate for county commissioner.
View
Party Executive Committees for further information
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