Independent Voter Project Statement in Response to Judge's Denial of Preliminary Injunction

SAN DIEGO, December 3, 2019 (Newswire.com) - A California judge chose not to take the extraordinary step of granting IVP's request for a preliminary injunction that would have secured the right of California's 5.6 million no party preference voters to participate in the March 2020 presidential primary.

As the Supreme Court held in Demcratic Party v. Jones, the state cannot force association between voters and political parties as a condition of participating in the election process. The Secretary of State, however, has provided for a confusing set of rules that require NPP voters to actively request the ballot of certain political parties as a condition of participation.

After long and careful consideration, rather than pursue an expedited appeal where the court would be under extreme pressure to preserve the status quo, IVP will focus its legal efforts on making a full argument at trial.

IVP remains confident that its legal case will ultimately prevail, and beginning in 2024, every voter in California will have a full right to vote in the taxpayer-funded and publicly administered presidential primary, as the state and federal constitutions require.

Between now and the March 2020 presidential primary, IVP will assist local election officials in limiting voter confusion by communicating to nonpartisan voters the limitations imposed by the Secretary of State on their voting rights.

###

Dan Howle

Independent Voter Project, Chairman and Executive Director

T: (916) 505-7575

[email protected] https://independentvoterproject.org/

Source: Independent Voter Project