California Politics

 

The California Federation of Republican Women is uniquely situated in the land of golden opportunity. California is a glorious visual celebration. Located on the Pacific coast of the United States, California enjoys the gamut of scenery, topography, shoreline and desert. Its sunshiny climate and exotic locales lured moviemakers early on to California’s shores and thus Hollywood became the basis for social mores and tastes shaped around the world.CFRW is uniquely situated in the forefront of California politics and its organizational structure and its membership is as diverse as the population and scenery of the golden state.  California State Government is divided into three branches:

Voters choose a political party at the time they register to vote. One of the choices is “decline to state” and that voter is “unaffiliated” with any political party. Our state holds two major elections a primary and a general. During a primary election the political parties choose the candidates they will run in the November general election. California now holds a modified open primary. In the old “closed” primary system only voters registered in a political party could vote that party’s primary ballot. Unaffiliated (“Decline to state”) voters voted only on whatever measures and non-partisan candidates were on the ballot.

In 2000, the law was changed and all the candidates from all parties were on one ballot and a voter could choose a candidate from any party. Since then, the court overturned that law.  Currently in Primary Election persons registered in a political party will be given their party’s ballot.  Unaffiliated (“decline to state” or “independent”) voters may request the ballot of the American Independent, Democratic, Republican or Natural Law party at the polls or on their absentee ballot request form. If they do not request such a ballot, they will be given a nonpartisan ballot, containing only the names of all candidates for nonpartisan offices and measures to be voted upon at the primary election.

This is known as a “Modified Closed Primary System”. Parties have agreed to let unaffiliated voters vote for their candidates. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party will not permit unaffiliated voters to vote for their county central committees. Persons who are currently registered in a political party can vote for candidates of another political party if they reregister in the other party by the deadline – (15 days before the date of the election>

 

 

This is known as a “Modified Closed Primary System”. Parties have agreed to let unaffiliated voters vote for their candidates. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party will not permit unaffiliated voters to vote for their county central committees.
Persons who are currently registered in a political party can vote for candidates of another political party if they reregister in the other party by the deadline – (15 days before the date of the election).

The Political Parties

When you register to vote, you choose whether you want to join a political party. A political party is a group of people who share the same views about how the government should be run and what it should do. This will have a link to the registration section of our page and the registration form.

There are 7 political parties in California.

  • American Independent
  • Democratic
  • Green
  • Libertarian
  • Natural Law
  • Peace and Freedom Party
  • Republican

CA GOP Logo

The Republican Party stands for helping working families help themselves by reducing taxes and improving education. Republicans want all Americans to have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream.

Republicans believe we must keep America safe and strong by supporting our brave men and women who serve in the military and law enforcement.

This party has about 5.4 million members in California. For more information, visit www.cagop.org or call (818) 841-5210.