Who Can Vote in the Primary Presidential Election?

States have different rules on who may vote in a presidential primary election.

In most U.S. states, only voters who are registered with a political party are allowed to vote for a presidential primary candidate from that party. Many states prohibit people with felony records, or who have been found by a court to be mentally incompetent, from voting.

Purpose

The primary election system is designed to narrow the field of candidates in each political party to one. Residents must register with the elections office in their city or county to be eligible to vote.

Eligibility

To vote in a presidential primary election, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of the state where the primary is being held and at least 18 years old.

Types

There are two major types of presidential primary elections: closed and open. In a closed primary, a voter can only cast a vote in the primary election of the party with which they are registered to vote. In an open primary, voters can vote for any presidential candidate, regardless of which party they are affiliated with. According to the Center for Voting and Democracy, there are 26 states with closed primaries, 17 with open primaries and 13 states with other systems, such as caucuses.

Considerations

In some states, such as Massachusetts, unregistered voters can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary, and on ballot referendums.

References

• New Hampshire Secretary of State: How to Register to Vote in New Hampshire.
• Project Vote Smart: How Does the Primary Process Work?
• Washington Secretary of State: Register to Vote in Washington State.
• Seven Days: What Happens to All Those Extra Primary Ballots? Lauren Ober; September 2010.
• FairVote.org: Open and Closed Primaries; February 2008.