March 2024 Presidential Primary Election

Common questions about primary elections

Why is this election different?

This election is part of the major political parties’ national nominating process. Both parties will use the results to allocate delegates to their respective nominating conventions, where they will determine their nominee for the November General election.

In order to participate in this election, all voters must select their party preference and then vote for one candidate from within that party. There is no option to cast an unaffiliated or independent ballot. The party selected in this election will be on the voter’s record for 60 days and is public information. After 60 days, the party preference will be expunged from the voter rolls and the selection made in this election has no bearing on how a voter may participate in any future election.

Why do I need to select a party?

For this election only, all voters must select a political party in order to participate.

If you mark the Democratic Party box, you must vote for a Democrat. If you mark the Republican Party box, you must vote for a Republican.

Your choice of party in this election will not affect how you may vote or participate in future elections, including the 2024 November General election. It only is relevant to the Presidential Primary itself.

Why is the party declaration on the outside of the envelope?

In elections, it’s critical to keep your identity separate from your votes. As ballots are processed, they are removed from the outer envelope, severing all ties between your ballot and your identity. That’s why the declaration and signature are on the envelope and not on the ballot inside.

If you are concerned about others seeing your party preference in transit, we recommend using one of the 78 secure ballot drop boxes across King County. Drop boxes are emptied daily by election administrators and ballots brought directly back to King County Elections for processing and tabulation.

What are the declarations about?

The declarations are your affirmation that you will not participate in the nominating process of a different political party in 2024 other than the one you selected. Whether you identify as a member of that political party, consider yourself independent, or reject party politics all together, every voter must select a party and sign the declaration without any attempts to alter the declaration language in order to have their vote counted.

Crossing out parts of the declaration or writing over the declaration may result in a challenged or rejected ballot so please stick to checking the box that you feel most comfortable with and voting for one candidate from that party to have your vote counted.

Why are there candidates that have already dropped out of their party’s race on my ballot?

The list of eligible candidates was provided by the State Democratic and Republican Parties on January 9. After that date, there was no opportunity to withdraw a name from the ballot.

What does "uncommitted delegates" mean?

"Uncommitted delegates" was an option that both parties could choose to include for their voters. Only the Democratic Party requested to have the "uncommitted delegates" option added to their ballot. You may vote for either a named candidate or the "uncommitted delegates" option but not both.

If you vote for a named candidate, you are indicating that you would like delegates from Washington to be committed to the candidate you voted for. If you vote "uncommitted," you are indicating that you would like delegates from Washington to be sent to the nominating convention without a candidate they are dedicated to.

Why are there only Democrats and Republicans on the ballot?

Washington law requires a Presidential Primary only for major political parties, defined as "…a political party whose nominees for president and vice president received at least five percent of the total votes cast in the last presidential election." Currently, only the Republican Party and Democratic Party qualify as major political parties under that definition.