On July 10, the California Senate Appropriations Committee passed AB 292. This is the bill that makes it easier for independent voters to obtain a presidential primary ballot, for any party that allows independents to vote in its presidential primary. Now it only has a vote in the Senate before it reaches the Governor. Traditionally, starting in 2004, independents have been allowed to vote in the Democratic presidential primary. But the Republican Party has only let independents vote in its 2004 presidential primary, but not any presidential primary since then.

The bill lets an independent voter phone, text, or e-mail the county elections office, letting the elections office know that the voter wants a particular party’s presidential primary ballot.