Maryland’s unaffiliated voters should register for 2024 primary now | READER COMMENTARY

‘Tis the season for unaffiliated voters in Maryland to consider their options as the presidential primary election will begin with early voting from May 2, 2024 to May 9, 2024 and will culminate on primary election day on May 14, 2024.

According to state voter registration data from November, 21% of  all voters in Maryland are not affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party or the Libertarian Party. Why does this matter?

It matters because Maryland is considered a partially closed primary state. This means voters “must be registered members of the party holding the primary; however, parties may choose each election whether to allow unaffiliated voters to participate,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party in Maryland purposely block unaffiliated voters from participating in primary elections funded by taxpayers. The date has already passed for parties to permit unaffiliated voters to vote in the 2024 primary. Yet unaffiliated voters in Maryland can still vote in the primary by temporarily changing their party affiliation by Tuesday, April 23, 2024. It is very easy to do on the state’s online voter registration system or by going to your local election office.

Choose a candidate from a party you favor and temporarily change your party registration to allow you to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary. It is just as easy to change your affiliation back to “unaffiliated” after the primary election (“‘Uniquely horrible choice:’ Few US adults want a Biden-Trump rematch in 2024, an AP-NORC poll shows,” Dec. 14).

Remember: One out of every five voters in Maryland is currently an unaffiliated voter. Your vote can make a difference!

— George D. Brown, Cumberland

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