Get involved in your state! Select your state below to find out how.
Alabama:
June 1, 2004
Open primary: Voters can choose any presidential primary ballot (but not both), regardless of their party registration.
For more information, contact Alabama's Secretary of State: http://www.sos.state.al.us/index.cfm
Alaska:
March 20, 2004
Closed caucus: Voters can vote in that party's presidential caucus. The state primary, which is also closed, takes place August 24.
For more information, contact Alaska's Division of Elections: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/elections/homepage.html
Arizona:
February 3, 2004
Closed primary: Only voters registered in a particular party can vote for one of that party's presidential candidates.
For more information, contact Arizona's Secretary of State: http://www.sosaz.com
Arkansas:
May 18, 2004
Open primary: Citizens select which party's primary they would like to vote in, regardless of their party registration. The decision becomes part of the voter's permanent record, but otherwise does not affect their political affiliation.
For more information, contact Arkansas' Secretary of State: http://www.sosweb.state.ar.us
California:
March 2, 2004
Modified closed primary: A voter can mark any party's primary ballot, but only votes cast by registered party members count toward the official tally.
For more information, contact California's Secretary of State: http://www.ss.ca.gov
Colorado:
April 13, 2004
Closed caucus: Colorado passed a law eliminating its 2004 presidential primary. A closed caucus will be run, in which only those pre-registered can vote.
For more information, contact Colorado's Secretary of State: http://www.sos.state.co.us
Connecticut:
March 2, 2004
Closed primary: Only those registered in a particular party -- and excluding independents -- can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Connecticut's Secretary of State: www.sots.state.ct.us
Delaware:
February 3, 2004
Closed primary: Only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote in their party's primary. All other parties must select their presidential candidates at a state (or national) convention.
For more information, contact Delaware's Secretary of State: www.state.de.us/sos
Florida:
March 9, 2004
Closed primary: Voters must pre-register in a particular party to vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Florida's Secretary of State: www.dos.state.fl.us
Georgia:
March 2, 2004
Open primary: Voters do not have to register by political party and can vote in any party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Georgia's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.ga.us
Hawaii:
February 24, 2004
Closed caucus: Registered members of a political party -- and only members of that party -- meet locally and vote on a presidential nominee.
For more information, Hawaii's Office of Elections: www.hawaii.gov/elections
Idaho:
February 24, 2004
Open caucus and primary: Caucus participation is officially restricted to those who "publicly declare themselves to be participating;" there is no party registration.
For more information, contact Secretary of State Election Division: www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/eleindex.htm
Illinois:
March 26, 2004
Open primary: Voters do not need to pre-register in a given party in order to participate in the party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Illinois' Secretary of State: www.sos.state.il.us/home.html
Indiana:
May 4, 2004
Open primary: Registered voters can go to a polling place and request a ballot for the presidential primary of any (but only one) party, regardless of their party leanings.
For more information, contact Indiana's Secretary of State: www.in.gov/sos/
Iowa:
January 19, 2004
Open caucus: The caucus is open to all voters, who meet in a caucus, to select a party's presidential nominee.
For more information, contact Iowa's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.ia.us
Kansas:
March 13, 2004
Modified closed caucus: The state legislature passed a bill eliminating the 2004 presidential primaries. Kansas is a closed primary state, meaning that only members of a given party can vote in that party's primary.
For more information, contact Kansas' Secretary of State: www.kssos.org/main.html
Kentucky:
May 18, 2004
Closed primary: Voters can only cast votes in the presidential primary of the party with which they are officially affiliated.
For more information, contact Kentucky's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.ky.us
Louisiana:
March 9, 2004
Closed primary: Only voters registered to a particular party vote in that party's primary.
For more information, contact Louisiana's Secretary of State: www.elections.state.la.us/
Maine:
February 8, 2004
Closed caucus: The Maine Legislature passed a bill canceling the regular primary in 2004. That set up party presidential caucuses, which are restricted to the party's registered members.
For more information, contact Maine's Secretary of State: www.state.me.us/sos
Maryland:
March 2, 2004
Closed primary: Only voters officially affiliated with a given party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Maryland's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.md.us
Massachusetts:
March 2, 2004
Modified closed primary: Unenrolled voters can take part in a party's presidential primary, along with members of that party. But registered members of another party cannot do so.
For more information, contact Massachusetts Secretary of State: www.state.ma.us/sec/
Michigan:
February 7, 2004
Closed caucus: The state legislature passed a bill canceling the 2004 primary. As an alternative, registered Democrats will be able to vote in a closed caucus at 400 or more sites statewide, by mail or via the Internet. At this time, there are no plans for a GOP presidential caucus.
For more information, contact Michigan's Secretary of State: www.michigan.gov/sos
Minnesota:
March 2, 2004
Open caucus: Voters can register to vote on Election Day and they do not register by party affiliation, so the presidential caucuses are open to all voters.
For more information, contact Minnesota's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.mn.us/
Mississippi:
March 9, 2004
Open primary: Regardless of political affiliation, a voter may vote in either party's primary.
For more information, contact Mississippi's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.ms.us/
Missouri:
February 3, 2003
Open primary: Voters do not register as members of one party or another. Therefore, all parties' presidential and other primaries are open to all voters.
For more information, contact Missouri's Secretary of State: www.sos.mo.gov/
Montana:
June 8, 2004
Open primary: All registered voters can participate in the primary. These voters "publicly declare" their party affiliation by selecting that party's primary ballot.
For more information, contact Montana's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.mt.us/css/index.asp
Nebraska:
May 11, 2004
Closed primary: Voters must officially declare their party affiliation if they want to vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Nebraska's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.ne.us/
Nevada:
February 14, 2004
Closed caucus: Nevada has a three-tiered presidential caucus system. Only registered members of a particular party can participate in that party's presidential caucuses.
For more information, contact Nevada's Secretary of State: http://sos.state.nv.us/
New Hampshire:
January 27, 2004
Modified closed primary: Undeclared, or independent, voters and those pre-registered in a given party can participate in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact New Hampshire's Secretary of State: www.state.nh.us/sos/
New Jersey:
June 8, 2004
Closed primary: Only those registered in a given party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact New Jersey's Secretary of State: www.state.nj.us/state/
New Mexico:
February 3, 2004
Closed caucus: Only those registered in a given party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact New Mexico's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.nm.us/
New York:
March 2, 2004
Closed primary: Only those voters pre-registered in a particular party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact New York's Secretary of State: www.dos.state.ny.us/
North Carolina:
May 4, 2004
Modified closed primary: Unaffiliated voters and those registered in a particular party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact North Carolina's Secretary of State: www.secstate.state.nc.us/
North Dakota:
February 3, 2004
Open caucus: Voters can vote in either party's presidential caucus.
For more information, contact North Dakota's Secretary of State: www.state.nd.us/sec//
Ohio:
March 2, 2004
Open primary: Voters declare their party affiliation by voting in that party's primary. All voters enter the polling place with a blank slate, and therefore can participate in any party's primary.
For more information, contact Ohio's Secretary of State: http://serform.sos.state.oh.us/sos/
Oklahoma:
February 3, 2004
Closed primary: Only those pre-registered in a given party can vote in that party's presidential primary election.
For more information, contact Oklahoma's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.ok.us/
Oregon:
May 18, 2004
Closed primary: Only those pre-registered in a particular party can vote in that party's presidential primary election. In 2004, a person must officially register their party affiliation by April 24 in order to vote in that party's May 18 primary.
For more information, contact Oregon's Secretary of State: www.sos.state.or.us
Pennsylvania:
April 27, 2004
Closed primary: Only those pre-registered within a particular party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Pennsylvania's Secretary of State: www.dos.state.pa.us/DOS/site/default.asp
Rhode Island:
March 2, 2004
Modified closed primary: Voters registered in a particular party can participate in that party's presidential primary, as can unaffiliated voters.
For more information, contact Rhode Island's Secretary of State: www.state.ri.us/
South Carolina: February 3, 2004
Open primary: Registered voters can cast a ballot in either party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact South Carolina's Secretary of State: www.scsos.com/
South Dakota:
June 1, 2004
Closed primary: Only those voters pre-registered in a particular party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact South Dakota's Secretary of State: www.sdsos.gov/
Tennessee:
February 10, 2004
Open primary: Voters need not declare their party affiliation when they register to vote, so anyone can vote in a party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Tennessee's Secretary of State: www.state.tn.us/sos/
Texas:
March 9, 2004
Open primary: Voters do not register to vote by party, although they become affiliated with a party by voting in that party's primary or taking the party oath.
For more information, contact Texas Secretary of State: www.sos.state.tx.us/
Utah:
February 24, 2004
Modified closed primary and caucus: The state legislature voted not to fund the presidential primary. Currently, it is unknown whether a presidential primary or caucus will be held, and in what form. In the past, unaffiliated voters and those registered in a particular party could vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Utah's Secretary of State: www.utah.gov/main/index
Vermont:
March 2, 2004
Open primary: Each registered voter, regardless of their party affiliation, can vote in any one party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Vermont's Secretary of State: www.sec.state.vt.us/
Virginia:
February 10, 2004
Open primary: According to state law, a party's presidential primary is open to "each registered voter of the Commonwealth" -- regardless of their party affiliation.
For more information, contact Virginia's Secretary of State: www.soc.state.va.us/
Washington:
March 2, 2004
Open primary: Registered voters can choose any candidate on the presidential primary ballot.
For more information, contact Washington's Secretary of State: www.secstate.wa.gov/
West Virginia:
March 11, 2004
Closed primary: Voters only pre-registered in a particular political party can vote in that party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact West Virginia's Secretary of State: www.wvsos.com/
Wisconsin:
February 17, 2004
Open primary: Any registered voter can cast ballots in any one party's presidential primary.
For more information, contact Wisconsin's Secretary of State: www.state.wi.us/agencies/sos/
Wyoming:
March 20, 2004
Closed caucus: Wyoming will not hold a presidential primary.
For more information, contact Wyoming's Secretary of State: soswy.state.wy.us/
Information was gathered from www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/
