Voter registration by political party affiliation; partially closed primary elections.

Voter registration by political party affiliation;partially closed primary elections. Adds party affiliation, beginningJanuary 1, 2025, to the information that an applicant is asked toprovide when registering to vote. The applicant may indicate thathe is an independent. The bill specifies that voters registered priorto January 1, 2025, will be designated as independent unless theyprovide a political party affiliation to the general registrar. Votersmay change their political party affiliation or independent statusby written notice at any time before the registration records areclosed prior to an election. The bill also provides that voters whoare on the permanent absentee voter list will receive primary ballotsfor the political party with which they are registered as affiliated.Finally, the bill requires the state party chairman of each politicalparty to file written notice with the State Board of Elections byJanuary 31 of each year stating the rules adopted by the duly constitutedauthorities of the state political party for participation in theparty's primaries to be held from April 1 of that year through March31 of the following year.