Voting in the 2012 primary elections

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Information about Voting

Election Dates • Early voting • Absentee voting • Voting in 2012 Primaries • Voting on November 6, 2012 Poll Opening and Closing Times Signature filing deadlines  Open Primary • Closed Primary • Blanket Primary

This page contains voter registration information pertaining to the 2012 state primary elections.

The dates focus primarily on primary dates for non-presidential elections. Specifically, the primary dates below refer to when candidates are on the ballot for Congressional, State Executive, State Legislative and other down-ballot issues.

The table below contains the following information:

• Primary date
• Type of primary
• Deadline for voters to register to vote
• Other notes

State-by-state breakdown

All 50 states were broken into three different groups by type of primary:

• 20 states use a strictly closed primary system, including Florida, South Dakota and Pennsylvania.
• 19 state have an open primary system, including Alabama, Georgia, and Wisconsin
• 11 states have a mixed system, including:
  • Illinois: The primary is closed, but voters can change parties each year. Voters may change party affiliation at polls or caucus.
  • Iowa: The caucuses are closed, but voters may change registration at polls.
  • Kansas:In the Democratic caucus, Independent voters can register as Democrats on caucus day. For Republicans it is a closed caucus.
  • Massachusetts: Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary but Independent voters may decide which party they would like to vote for.
  • Montana: Republicans have a closed caucus, while Democrats have an open primary.
  • New Hampshire: Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary but Independent voters may decide which party they would like to vote for. Unregistered voters can register on election day.
  • New Jersey: Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary. Any New Jersey voter who has never on a previous occasion voted in a New Jersey primary election may declare a party affiliation at the poll. Independents may also decide which party to vote for.
  • Ohio: Must vote in the primary of same party as the voter participated in last primary election. Loosely enforced. However, if a voter wishes to vote in another party's primary, he or she must register with that party in order to vote.
  • Rhode Island: If you are registered as "unaffiliated" you may vote in the primary of any party you choose. Once you vote in a primary, however, you are considered a member of that party until and unless you "disaffiliate."
  • Utah: Currently, only Republicans close their primary. Democrats and Independents can vote in the Democratic primary. Conventions are held by the political parties prior to the primary.
  • West Virginia: Uniaffiliated voters and members of minor parties may vote in the Democratic or Republican primaries. The Mountain party typically holds a convention to choose a candidate.

Voting in Primary Elections 2012 Information

State	Primary Date	Type of Primary	Registration Date	Notes
Alabama	6/5/2012	Open	Voter Registration closes 10 days prior to the election.
Alaska	8/28/2012	Closed	7/29/2012	Closed caususes for both parties, but voters may change party affiliation at polls or caucus.
Arizona	8/28/2012	Closed	7/30/2012
Arkansas	5/22/2012	Open	4/23/2012	Open, but when runoff elections are used, voters must vote in same party's runoff election as they voted for in the first round election.
California	6/5/2012	Open	The deadline for voters to register is 15 days prior to election day.	Open "Top 2 Primary Election"; the top two candidates move to the General Election.
Colorado	6/26/2012	Closed	5/29/2012
Connecticut	8/14/2012	Closed	8/13/2012	3 month waiting period if switching parties
Delaware	9/11/2012	Closed	8/18/2012
Florida	8/14/2012	Closed	7/16/2012
Georgia	7/31/2012	Open	7/2/2012	When runoff elections are used, voters must vote in same party's runoff election as they voted for in the first round election.
Hawaii	8/11/2012	Closed	7/12/2012
Idaho	5/15/2012	Closed	4/20/2012	Closed primary system. However, Idaho law allows the political parties the option of opening their primary to "unaffiliated" voters. In 2012, the Democratic Party opened its primary to unaffiliated voters while the GOP kept its primary closed. Decisions to do so must be made at least 6 months prior to the election.
Illinois	3/20/2012	Closed/Mixed	2/21/2012	Voters can change parties each year. Closed primary. Voters may change party affiliation at polls or caucus.
Indiana	5/8/2012	Open	4/9/2012	Voters must declare political affiliation before they vote. However, primary ballot is dependent on previous affiliation history.
Iowa	6/5/2012	Closed/Mixed	Can Register the day of the election. Deadline if planning to register before election: 5/26/2012	Closed caucuses, but voters may change registration at polls.
Kansas	8/7/2012	Closed/Mixed	7/17/2012	In the Democratic caucus, independent voters can register as Democrats on caucus day. For republicans it is a closed caucus.
Kentucky	5/22/2012	Closed	4/23/2012	You may change your political party registration at any time on or before December 31st to remain eligible to vote in the following political party primary election.
Louisiana	11/6/2012	Open	Voters must register 30 days prior to the election in order to vote.
Maine	6/12/2012	Closed	Can register the day of the election	Closed caucuses. Can register the day of the election.
Maryland	4/3/2012	Closed	3/13/2012	Parties can choose to open primaries but both Democrats and Republicans chose not to. If a voter does not choose a party, he or she will be recorded as "unaffiliated" and is only permitted to vote in the primary election if a party chooses to open its primary.
Massachusetts	9/6/2012	Closed/Mixed	8/17/2012	Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary but independent voters may decide which party they would like to vote for.
Michigan	8/7/2012	Open	4/9/2012	Voters must register at least 30 days before the election.
Minnesota	8/14/2012	Open	Voters who wish to register in advance must pre-register at least 21 days before Election Day. However, voters may also register on Election Day at their polling place.	Open caucuses. Voters who wish to register in advance must pre-register at least 21 days before Election Day. However, voters may also register on Election Day at their polling place.
Mississippi	3/13/2012	Open	2/12/2012
Missouri	8/7/2012	Open	7/11/2012
Montana	6/5/2012	Mixed	5/6/2012	Republicans have a closed caucus, while Democrats have an open primary.
Nebraska	5/15/2012	Closed	4/27/2012 (by mail) or 5/4/2012 (in person)
Nevada	6/12/2012	Closed	5/22/2012 (in person) or 5/12/2012 (by mail)	Closed caucuses.
New Hampshire	9/11/2012	Mixed	9/4/2012, or on election day	Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary but independent voters may decide which party they would like to vote for. Unregistered voters can register on election day.
New Jersey	6/5/2012	Mixed	5/15/2012	Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary. Any NJ voter who has never on a previous occasion voted in a NJ primary election may declare a party affiliation at the poll. Independents may also decide which party to vote for.
New Mexico	6/5/2012	Closed	5/8/2012
New York	6/26/2012	Closed	6/1/2012
North Carolina	5/8/2012	Hybrid/Semi-closed	4/13/2012	If registered with a party, you must vote in that party's primary. If unaffiliated, you may choose a party on the day of the primary election
North Dakota	6/12/2012	Open	North Dakota has no voter registration -- in order to vote, voters must simply prove that they have resided in the state for 30 days.	North Dakota has no voter registration -- in order to vote, voters must simply prove that they have resided in the state for 30 days.
Ohio	3/6/2012	Mixed	Voter registration closes 30 days prior to an election.	Must vote in the primary of same party as the voter participated in last primary election. Loosely enforced. However, if a voter wishes to vote in another party's primary, he or she must register with that party in order to vote.
Oklahoma	6/26/2012	Closed	6/1/2012
Oregon	5/15/2012	Closed	4/24/2012
Pennsylvania	4/24/2012	Closed	3/25/2012
Rhode Island	9/11/2012	Closed/Mixed	8/11/2012	If you are registered as "unaffiliated" you may vote in the primary of any party you choose. Once you vote in a primary, however, you are considered a member of that party until and unless you "disaffiliate."
South Carolina	6/12/2012	Open	5/12/2012	Open, but when runoff elections are used, voters must vote in same party's runoff election as they voted for in the first round election.
South Dakota	6/5/2012	Closed	5/21/2012	In the Democratic Primary, Independents are allowed to vote.
Tennessee	8/2/2012	Open	7/3/2012
Texas	5/29/2012	Open	4/30/2012	Open, but when runoff elections are used, voters must vote in the same party's runoff election as they voted for in the first round election.
Utah	6/26/2012	Mixed	6/11/2012 or 5/29/2012 (by mail)	Currently only Republicans close their primary. Democrats and independents can vote in the Democratic primary. Conventions are held by the political parties prior to the primary.
Vermont	8/28/2012	Open	8/22/2012
Virginia	6/12/2012	Open	5/21/2012	Parties may choose to nominate by convention rather than by primary election.
Washington	8/7/2012	Open	7/9/2012 or 7/30/2012 (first time voters)
West Virginia	5/8/2012	Closed/Mixed	4/17/2012	Uniaffiliated voters and members of minor parties may vote in the Democratic or Republican primaries. The Mountain party typically holds a convention where they choose a candidate.
Wisconsin	8/14/2012	Open	7/25/2012 (mail) or 8/10/2012 (in person)	Voters may register at the polls if they bring valid proof of residence.
Wyoming	8/21/2012	Closed	8/6/2012	Voters may register at the polls if they provide valid ID.

Issues

2012

Department of Justice sues Georgia over voting deadlines

On June 29, 2012, the Department of Justice filed a suit in federal court against the state of Georgia, alleging that service members, their family members and overseas civilian voters won’t have time to vote by absentee ballot in runoff elections, if they are required. According to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (dead link) (UOCAVA), states must transmit all validly requested ballots to UOCAVA voters at least 45 days before an election, unless a hardship exemption is obtained, for which Georgia failed to file. However, this conflicts with the timeline for runoff elections, in which the primary runoff, by law, must be held 21 days after the regular or special primary election, and if a runoff is required after the Nov. 6 general election, it will be held 28 days later, on Dec. 4, which also wouldn’t provide the required 45 days.

As part of the lawsuit, the Department of Justice is asking Georgia to "extend the ballot receipt deadline to Aug. 31 for these voters, to send ballots by express delivery as soon as possible before the Aug. 21 runoff election, and inform UOCAVA voters no later than July 7 of their right to request a state write-in absentee ballot or their official absentee ballot for any runoff election by downloading it from the Internet, by email, or by fax."

See also

• 2012 elections
• 2012 election dates
• Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 state government elections
• Statewide elections, 2012
• Voting in the 2012 general elections

Additional reading

• Governing, "Same-day Voter Registration Bill Advances in California," June 21, 2012