Choosing or Changing Political Party Affiliation

Voters can declare or change their party affiliation by completing one of two forms: a Voter Registration Application or a Party Affiliation Form. Both forms are submitted to the County Board of Elections, 83 Spring St., Suite 305, Newton, NJ 07860.

The Primary Elections
Each year in June, New Jersey holds two Primary elections: the Democratic Primary and the Republican Primary. The primary elections allow voters to determine which candidates in their respective party will represent them at the next ensuing General Election in November.

New Jersey’s primaries are “closed,” which means that registered voters of the state must declare [or affiliate with] either the Republican or Democratic party in order to vote in that party’s Primary Election.

Registered members of the Green Party, Libertarian Party, Natural Law Party, Reform Party, U.S. Constitution Party or the Conservative Party can participate in the convention of their respective party, according to its bylaws, but they may not vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries.

Voters affiliated with a party other than Republican or Democratic who would like to vote in the New Jersey June Primary have the option of changing their affiliation, but they must do so at least 55 days prior to the Primary Election date. Unaffiliated voters may affiliate with either the Democratic or Republican party at the polls on the day of the Primary Election simply by choosing to vote in that party’s primary. The voter then will be affiliated with that party unless and until they change party affiliation or declare themselves unaffiliated again.