The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk today assured all non-partisan Permanent Absentee/Mail Voters who received letters late last week indicating the option of requesting party ballots for the upcoming Presidential Primary Election that their requests would be honored beyond the December 3, 2007, deadline referenced in the letter.
Election law in California allows qualified political parties to decide whether to permit non-partisan voters the choice of voting for a partisan candidate. Only the Democratic and American Independent Parties are offering non-partisan voters that choice in the February 5, 2008, Presidential Primary Election.
A delay in mailing the letters to non-partisan Permanent Absentee/Mail Voters caused concern with the response date of December 3, 2007, for requesting American Independent or Democratic Party ballots. "The response date was intended to assist in meeting timelines for the initial mailing of ballots and not to limit voter choices," said Conny McCormack, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. "Requests from non-partisan voters who wish to cast Democratic or American Independent party ballots will be honored regardless of the date received."
McCormack added that additional information regarding voters’ ballot options for the Presidential Primary Election will be included in the Official Sample Ballot and in absentee/mail ballot packets, which will be mailed to voters in early January. Non-partisan voters who do not wish to request a Democratic or American Independent ballot will be issued ballots containing only non-partisan contests and ballot measures.
Voters who received the letter and have additional questions are encouraged to contact the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Absentee/Mail Ballot Section at (562) 466-1323 or by email at voterInfo@rrcc.lacounty.gov
for assistance.