Where you can change your party online, and where you cannot

Whether you can change your political party registration online depends entirely on which state you live in. About half of U.S. states offer online party change through their secretary of state website or voter registration portal. The other half require you to change your party in person at your county clerk's office, by mail, or not at all — some states do not track party affiliation the way others do.

The fastest way to find out what your state allows is to visit your secretary of state's website and search for "change party affiliation" or "update voter registration". Most secretaries of state have a voter portal where you can check your current registration and see what changes are available to you online. If your state does not offer online changes, the same portal usually tells you the mailing address or in-person location where you can make the change.

A few states — including North Dakota, Wyoming, and Vermont — do not register voters by party at all, so there is no party affiliation to change. If you live in one of these states, your party choice is private and only matters when you show up to vote in a primary election.

Key Takeaways

  • About half of U.S. states allow you to change your party registration online through their secretary of state portal; the other half require mail or in-person changes.
  • Your secretary of state's website is the official source for whether your state offers online changes and what documents or information you will need.
  • Some states have important date for party changes before primary elections, ranging from a few days to several weeks, so check your state's rules before the election approaches.
  • A few states do not register voters by party at all, so you have no party affiliation to change.
  • If you change your party close to an election, verify that the change has been recorded before election day by checking your voter registration status.

States that let you change party online

States with online party change portals include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and a few others. The exact list changes as states update their systems, so your secretary of state's website is the only reliable source.

When you log in to change your party online, you will typically need your driver's license number or state ID number, your date of birth, and your current address. The process usually takes a few minutes. After you submit the change, you should receive a confirmation email or be able to print a confirmation page. Some states update your registration when ready; others take a few business days.

What happens if your state does not offer online changes

If your state requires a mail-in or in-person change, your secretary of state's website will provide the form you need and the address where it should be sent. Most states accept a straightforward letter or a specific form — your secretary of state will specify which. You will need to include your name, date of birth, current address, and the party you want to change to.

In-person changes are usually fastest. You can walk into your county clerk's office or board of elections and change your party the same day. Mailed forms typically take one to two weeks to process, depending on how busy your county office is. If you are close to a primary election, call your county clerk to ask how long the change will take — some counties process changes faster during election season.

Party change important date before primary elections

Many states have a important date for changing your party before you can vote in that party's primary election. These important date vary widely. Some states require the change 15 or 30 days before the primary; others allow changes up to election day itself. A few states do not allow you to change your party within a certain window before the primary — for example, some require the change at least 25 days in advance.

The important date depends on your state and sometimes on your county. Check your secretary of state's website for the specific important date in your state, or call your county clerk if the website does not make it clear. If you miss the important date, you will not be able to vote in that primary, but you can still change your party for future elections.

How to verify your party change went through

After you change your party online or submit a mail-in form, log back into your state's voter registration portal and check your registration status. Most states show your current party affiliation in the portal. If you changed your party by mail and the portal has not updated yet, wait a few business days and check again.

If you are close to a primary election and your party change has not appeared in the system, contact your county clerk's office directly. They can tell you whether the change has been recorded and, if it has not, why. If there is a problem, the clerk's office can usually fix it quickly if you call in time.

Changing your party if you are not yet registered to vote

If you are not yet registered to vote, you will need to register first before you can choose a party. Most states let you select your party affiliation when you register online. You can register through your secretary of state's website or through Vote411.org, which is a nonpartisan site that links to your state's registration portal.

When you register, you will be asked whether you want to affiliate with a party. You can choose a party, decline to state a party, or select "independent" or "no party preference" — the exact language varies by state. If you do not choose a party during registration, you can change that later using the same process described above.

What to do if you cannot find your state's online portal

Start by visiting your secretary of state's official website. The URL is usually sos.[yourstate].gov. Look for a link labeled "voter registration", "register to vote", or "check your registration status". If you cannot find it on the main page, use the site's search function and search for "change party" or "update registration".

If the secretary of state's website does not have an online portal, it will tell you what to do instead — usually a mailing address or a phone number for your county clerk. You can also call your county clerk's office directly. They can tell you whether your state allows online changes and, if not, what form you need and where to send it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my party affiliation on the day of the primary election?

It depends on your state. Some states allow same-day party changes; others have important date ranging from a few days to several weeks before the primary. Check your secretary of state's website for your state's specific important date. If you are unsure, call your county clerk — they can tell you whether you can still change your party in time to vote in the upcoming primary.

What if I change my party but then want to change it back?

You can change your party as many times as you want using the same online portal or mail-in process. There is no limit on how often you can change your affiliation. Just keep in mind that if you change your party close to a primary election, you may miss the important date to vote in that primary.

Do I have to choose a party when I register to vote?

No. When you register, you can choose to affiliate with a party, decline to state a party, or select "independent" or "no party preference" — the exact wording varies by state. You can change this choice later whenever you want, or you can leave it blank and never choose a party.

Will changing my party affect my voter registration status?

No. Changing your party does not affect whether you are registered to vote or where you vote. It only changes which party primary you can vote in (if your state has closed primaries) and which party you are affiliated with in the voter registration system.

What if my state does not have a secretary of state website?

Every state has a secretary of state or equivalent official. If you cannot find your state's website, search "[your state] secretary of state" in a search engine. The official government website will appear at the top of the results. From there, you can find information about voter registration and party changes.