California's
Primary and General Elections
Did you know that as a Declined-to-State (DTS) or non-partisan voter you can still vote in primary elections?
In June 2006, the California Independent Voter Project delivered election information to thousands of declined-to-state voters in heavily contested legislative races to inform them that they could choose a party ballot at the voting polls. Otherwise, DTS voters are given a non-partisan ballot which does not include races for state legislative office, governor and other statewide officers, and congressional races.
The goal was to inform thousands of voters that they could participate in the partisan primaries even though they were registered DTS. In the June primary, voters who once thought their votes were meaningless, took to the ballot.
Decline-To-State (DTS) voters had
the choice to vote in either the Democratic or Republican
primary. Now, DTS voters could make a difference.
In the general elections, DTS voters
returned to cast their votes again for candidates they had supported in the primary. The process worked. More voters participated.
The system is better for it.
For the 2008 elections, the CAIVP will again be educating and informing DTS voters in important issues that affect us all.
Click below to view television commercials produced by the CAIVP.
