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CIVICS Q&A: PRIMARY VOTING ELIGIBILITY
4.21.2025
As part of The Conversation we hope to have with voters, we will answer a short question about a point of confusion on American civics that D2DD trustees and members have encountered in the field.
This week's question is a timely one, since we are now fewer than 50 days out from the June 10th primary.
Q: I'm an independent. Why can't I vote in the primary election?
A: Well, actually, you can, but it won’t be easy — at least if you want to remain unaffiliated.
To vote in the June primaries in the state of New Jersey as an independent, you will have to change your status with your county board of elections, choosing to affiliate with one of the two parties and registering to vote in that party’s primary. Once you have voted in the primary, you will then have to change your voter affiliation back from Democrat or Republican to independent for the general election.
This process is time-consuming and cumbersome, to say the least. But until New Jersey, follows the lead of the 20 U.S. states that have some sort of open primary system in place, this is the best you can do.
Still not deterred? According to the Sussex County Clerk’s website, you can declare your party at the polls on June 10th — or, if you are voting by mail, you can declare your party at the time you request a mail-in ballot. The last day to request a VBM ballot is Wednesday, May 28.
