SB 361

Under current law, a voter in a partisan primary election may cast a ballot or vote in the column of only one major political party, regardless of the number of candidates who are running for office in that party, if any. Similarly, a voter in a partisan primary may vote for any of the independent candidates for state office, but if the voter chooses this option, he or she may not vote for any party candidates for any office. Candidates of minor parties appear on the ballot as independent candidates.

This bill permits a voter in a partisan primary to “split tickets,” designating the candidate of his or her choice for each office, including the offices of governor and lieutenant governor, regardless of party affiliation. The bill also allows a voter to vote for independent candidates for one or more state offices in a partisan primary, in addition to party candidates for one or more state or county offices. Under the bill, a voter may still vote for only one candidate for each office. The voting procedure at the general election and other partisan elections is unaffected by the bill.

The bill initially applies to voting at the 2026 partisan primary election.