New York voters who want to change their party affiliation before the August 23 primary elections must now so do by next Thursday.
Judge rules against election day party switching
The Citizen reports acting State Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister moved the deadline to before the beginning of the early voting period. McAllister is the same justice who ruled against the election maps drawn up by Democrats in the state legislature.
Before the ruling, voters were going to be allowed to change parties right up to election day, in part due to the confusion created by the overturning of the maps. That decision led to different primary dates for legislative and Congressional parties. The state Board of Elections asked that the deadline for party changes be moved up.
Election day registration changes could have created so-called open primaries, in which voters in one party could switch to another and affect the outcome of that party’s primary.
Related: New York’s final district maps approved: What does it mean for the Finger Lakes?
You can switch registration at DMV or Board of Elections
Voters who wish to switch parties can go to the voter registration section of the state DMV website or can download a form on the state Board of Elections website and mail it in. Any party changes received by the Board of Elections after August 11 will not take effect until after the August 23 primaries.
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