Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder-Elections

January 8, 2008

Contact:
Warren Slocum, Chief Elections Officer
Phone: (650) 363-4988 E-mail: wslocum@smcare.org

Aternate:
David Tom, Elections Manager
Phone: (650) 312-5222 E-mail: dtom@smcare.org

Decline-to-State Voters Can Still Choose to Vote a Partisan Ballot
Jan. 29 is deadline to choose as Vote by Mail ballots land in mailboxes and early voting begins

Redwood City, CA – With the surprise results of the Iowa Caucus coupled with today’s New Hampshire Presidential Primary, many Californians are carefully weighing their choices for president in the Feb. 5 Presidential Primary.

Some have already voted, as early voting began Monday at Universal Voting Centers at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo and 555 County Center in Redwood City. Official ballots have also begun landing in the mailboxes of many of the county’s voters who vote by mail.

However, many Decline-to-State voters who vote by mail have not yet advised the Elections Office if they wish to vote a partisan ballot in the Feb. 5 Presidential Primary. Decline-to-State voters, also known as independent or nonpartisan, are those who chose not to affiliate with any political party when they registered to vote.

“We suspect that many of our Decline-to-State voters will want to vote a partisan ballot this election,” said Warren Slocum, Chief Elections Officer for San Mateo County. “The sooner we hear from them, the better.”

In California, it is up to each qualified political party to decide if they will allow Decline-to-State voters to participate in their primary. In this Election, the American Independent and Democratic parties are allowing Decline-to-State voters the option to vote in their primaries.

Vote by Mail voters who are Decline-to-State or who are registered with non-qualified political parties were sent a letter at the end of November that included a response form and postage-paid return envelope. Voters who haven’t notified the Elections Office of their partisan ballot preference will receive a nonpartisan ballot in the mail. Nonpartisan ballots offer voters choices on the statewide ballot measures and local measures only.

“But don’t despair,” Slocum said. “Decline-to-State voters who vote by mail have until January 29 to advise us if they wish to vote an American Independent or Democratic Party ballot. We must be advised in writing with advance notice so as to allow enough time for postal delivery. “

Decline-to-State voters who choose to vote a Democratic or American Independent ballot for the Feb. 5 Presidential Primary after they’ve been mailed a nonpartisan ballot will have to perform the additional step of spoiling their nonpartisan ballot. Instructions on completing this step will be enclosed with their second ballot.

In San Mateo County, 23 percent – 80,352 – of registered voters are Decline-to-State. About 19 percent (or more than 26,000) of our nearly 138,000 Vote by Mail voters are Decline-to- State. Regardless of a Decline-to-State voter’s choice of ballot for this election, their voter registration status will remain unchanged. But their choice of ballot will become public record.

No action is required for Decline-to-State voters who wish to vote a nonpartisan ballot in the Feb. 5 Presidential Primary. Decline-to-State voters who wish to vote a Green, Libertarian, Peace and Freedom, or Republican ballot must re-register to vote and affiliate with that party by Jan. 22 (these parties chose not to allow Decline-to-State voters to vote their primary ballot). Decline-to-State voters who vote at the polls on Election Day will inform a poll worker of their choice of ballot – American Independent, Democratic or nonpartisan – when they check in to vote.

Voters who are registered with a political party that is no longer qualified in California – such as the Natural Law Party or Reform Party – are also entitled to make the same choice as Decline-to-State voters. Voters who have questions may call the Elections Office at (650) 312-5222, email registrar@smcare.org or visit our Web site at www.shapethefuture.org.

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