Supervisor of Elections Explains 'Independent'
Candidate and Voter Registration

This is to provide clarification of Florida state laws regarding candidates who run for partisan offices with major political party, minor political party or no party affiliation. 

The word “independent” is used as a general term, which can cause confusion.  In addition to the two major parties, Republican and Democratic, there are many minor political parties registered with the state.  Three of those minor political parties are America’s Independent Party of Florida (AIP), Independent Democrats of Florida (IDF) and Independent Party of Florida (INT).  In addition, there is the Independence Party of Florida (IDP). 

If a person chooses to register to vote with one of these political party affiliations, the person checks the “Minor Party” box on line 12 of the Voter Registration Application and writes the name of the minor party on the party line. 

If a person chooses to register with no political party affiliation, the person checks the “NONE” box on line 12 of the Voter Registration Application and leaves the party line blank. 

Florida is a closed primary state. Only voters registered with the Democratic Party or Republican Party may vote in those parties’ primary elections on August 24. [Florida Statute 101.021] Voters registered with minor political parties or with no political party affiliation will vote nonpartisan ballots with only nonpartisan judicial and school board races. 

In the General Election on November 2, 2010, all registered voters, regardless of their party affiliation, are eligible to vote in partisan and nonpartisan races for statewide and district offices in which they live.  State law requires General Election candidates in each partisan race be listed in the following order:  The names of the candidates of the party that received the highest number of votes for Governor in the last election in which a Governor was elected shall be placed first under the heading for each office together with the abbreviation of party name; the names of the candidates of the party that received the second highest vote for Governor shall be second under the heading for each office with the abbreviation of the party name; minor political party candidates are then listed in the order as they were certified; no party affiliation candidates are then listed in the order as they were certified. [Florida Statute 101.151(3)] 

Candidates who are registered with a political party affiliation can choose to run with no party affiliation (NPA).  All candidates who file with no party affiliation will only appear on the General Election ballot with “NPA” after their names. 

Voters wishing to change their party affiliation may do so by completing a Voter Registration Application and checking the “Party Change” in the first line. Applications are available in Supervisor of Elections offices, public libraries, driver’s license offices, and online at www.votepinellas.com by clicking on “Register to Vote.”  The deadline to change political party affiliation for the August 24 Primary Election is July 26, 2010. 

For a complete list of registered political parties, go to http://election.dos.state.fl.us/candidate/parties.shtml.

For more information, call (727) 464-6788.