Yes. Independent voters in California can vote in primaries, and for most races on the ballot they vote on exactly the same terms as everyone else. The one area with restrictions is the presidential primary, which happens only in presidential election years and follows rules each party sets for itself.
You Are Probably Registered as “No Party Preference”
California does not use “independent” as a registration status. Voters who choose not to join a party are registered as No Party Preference, or NPP. The Secretary of State used to call this “decline-to-state,” but the label changed. NPP is a registration status, not a party.1California Secretary of State. No Party Preference Information
Check your registration before you rely on being unaffiliated. You can look it up through the Secretary of State’s site. If it says anything other than “No Party Preference,” you are a member of a party, and that will affect the ballot you receive in a presidential year.
State and Congressional Races: Full Access
For governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state legislature, and every U.S. House and Senate seat, California runs a top-two open primary. Every candidate for these “voter-nominated” offices appears on one ballot, and every registered voter gets that same ballot. Your party status does not matter, and the candidate’s party label does not restrict who can vote for them. The two highest vote-getters advance to November, even if they belong to the same party.2California Secretary of State. Primary Elections in California
This system has been in place since 2012. For a midterm primary like June 2, 2026, there is nothing extra an NPP voter needs to do. You receive the standard ballot and vote in every race on it.
Presidential Primaries: It Depends on the Party
Presidential primaries are the exception. California uses a modified closed primary for the presidential contest, and each party decides whether NPP voters can participate. If a party opens its primary, you can request that party’s presidential ballot without changing your registration. If a party keeps it closed, you have to re-register with that party to vote in its presidential contest.1California Secretary of State. No Party Preference Information
Rules can shift between cycles. In the March 2024 presidential primary, three parties allowed NPP voters to cross over:
- Democratic Party (presidential race only, not party central committee contests)
- American Independent Party
- Libertarian Party
Three did not, and required NPP voters to re-register with the party first:
- Republican Party
- Green Party
- Peace and Freedom Party
The Secretary of State publishes an updated list before each presidential primary.
Requesting a Crossover Ballot
If you are NPP and want a participating party’s presidential ballot, you have to ask for it. Your default ballot is nonpartisan and includes voter-nominated offices and local measures but no presidential candidates. County elections offices typically mail a crossover ballot request card before the election. Check the party you want, sign the card, mail it back. You can also request one by phone, by email, or in person at a vote center, including on Election Day. Requesting a crossover ballot does not change your registration.1California Secretary of State. No Party Preference Information
The American Independent Party Mix-Up
California has an actual political party called the American Independent Party, and a large share of its members joined by accident. Research has found that roughly 73 percent of American Independent Party registrants in the state believed they were signing up as unaffiliated. They saw the word “Independent” on the form and checked the box.
If your registration says “American Independent Party” and you meant to register with no party, you are in a party, not out of one. You will get that party’s ballot in a presidential primary, not an NPP ballot. Fix it by re-registering at registertovote.ca.gov.
Changing Your Registration
You can update your party preference any time by re-registering. Online through the Secretary of State’s site is the fastest option, and paper forms are available through your county elections office or the DMV. To have the change apply to a specific election, complete it at least 15 days before that election.3California Secretary of State. Registering to Vote
If you miss the 15-day deadline, California offers conditional voter registration during the 14 days before an election and on Election Day. You register and vote at a county elections office, vote center, or polling place, and your ballot is counted once your registration is verified. This same-day path works for changing parties as well, so an NPP voter who decides at the last minute to vote in a closed presidential primary can still do so.4California Secretary of State. Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)
There is no fee and no limit on how many times you switch. Many voters re-register with a party before a presidential primary and switch back to NPP afterward.