Understanding NPP and Party Preference

When you register to vote – either online or by printed form – you are asked, “Do you want to choose a political party preference?” To answer this question, you have the option to choose yes and select a specific political party. You also have the option to choose “No party/None.”

How you answer this question impacts the ballot you are provided when it is time to vote only during a Presidential Primary. The next Presidential Primary will be in March 2028, and you will automatically be sent a ballot with presidential candidates from the party you selected when registering to vote (and only that party).

What happens if you selected “No party/None” when registering to vote?
In this case, you are officially registered as No Party Preference, or NPP. Your Presidential Primary vote-by-mail ballot will not have presidential candidates on it.

If you are registered as NPP and you want to vote for a candidate for U.S. President during the Presidential Primary Election, you must request a ballot from one of the following parties*:

American Independent Party
Democratic Party
Libertarian Party

All other parties require you to re-register with that specific party to vote for one of their candidates*. To re-register online, go to registertovote.ca.gov before registration closes (15 days prior to the election). If you miss the registration deadline, you can register in person at a polling place or at the County Elections Office.

*This was the case during the March 2024 Primary, and parties may elect to change their rules regarding crossover voting before the March 2028 election. Please also note: The American Independent Party is a political party, and registering with that party is not the same thing as registering No Party Preference/NPP.

What is Cross-over Voting?
If you are an NPP voter who would like to vote for a presidential candidate from the American Independent, Democratic, or Libertarian Party, you are what is called a “cross-over voter” and you must request a replacement ballot that lists the candidates from one of those three parties. Prior to the election, you can do this by submitting a No Party Preference Cross-over Ballot Notice and Application (PDF) to the County Elections Office by mail, email, fax, or in person. You may also call the office to request a cross-over ballot.

Contact information for the County of San Luis Obispo Elections Office:

Elaina Cano, Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters
1055 Monterey Street, Suite D-120
San Luis Obispo, CA 93408
(805) 781-5228 phone
(805) 781-1111 fax

Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Note: The office closes at 4:00 pm on Wednesdays)
Email: elections@co.slo.ca.us
Website: slovote.com

If you are an NPP voter who would like to vote for a presidential candidate on Presidential Primary Election Day, you can take your non-partisan vote-by-mail ballot directly to a polling location and ask a poll worker to exchange it for a ballot from one of the parties allowing cross-over voting. Additionally, the County of San Luis Obispo provides Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail (RAVBM), which enables a voter to use their own technology to mark their ballot and then print and return it by mail to the Elections Office. For more information about RAVBM, contact the Elections Office at (805) 781-5228.

During a Presidential General Election, every voter will receive a ballot with all presidential candidates who remain in the race at that time. Voters can then select any one of the candidates when they cast their vote, regardless of party preference.

Are voters registered as NPP able to vote in a Presidential Primary Election for candidates running for an office other than U.S. President?
Yes, under the California Constitution, all candidates for state legislative offices, U.S. congressional offices, and state constitutional offices will be listed on the same ballot, including the ballot sent to NPP voters during the Primary Election.

For more information about NPP, party preference, and California’s Primary Election System, visit the California Secretary of State’s web site.