Voters have until the end of the day Friday to change their party registration with their county clerk. After that, they’re stuck with that party when the state primary rolls around on May 17.
Voters who took part in Tuesday's GOP Presidential Primary could decide at the polls to become a Republican. But that’s not how it works for this spring's state primary. Voters have to choose now whether to list themselves as Republican, Democrat or anything else.
GOP lawmakers closed the Republican state primary in 2011. They set a cutoff date for voter affiliation to ensure members of other parties can’t switch to the GOP at the last minute.
That’s according to Secretary of State Lawerence Denney.
“If you are a Democrat or a Constitution Party or Libertarian or something else, you can’t change that party affiliation on Election Day,” Denney says.
So if you want to vote Republican in May and the last time you cast a ballot you said you were a member of the Democratic, Constitution or Libertarian parties, you must register as a Republican by today.
However, voters registered today as Unaffiliated can make the switch at any time, including on Election Day.
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