A:  The California National Party is seeking to become registered as a qualified political party (see below) by the Secretary of State of California. To do so requires that 0.33% of all California voters be registered with the party. As of November 2018, this would mean approximately 66,000 members.

A:  Qualified political parties 1) have the name of the party next to their candidates’ names on ballots, and 2) are listed as an official option on voter registration forms, rather than having to be written in.

A:  Because of California’s so-called “Top Two” primary system, all voters, regardless of party affiliation, see the same ballot to vote for all offices in California—from local councils to the governor—and for federal representatives in the House of Representatives and the Senate. This applies to both the June primary and November general election. (This was not true under the “closed” primary system used in California before 2011.) Being registered with the California National Party will not in any way affect your ability to vote for any candidate you desire from any party in either of these elections.

A:  Until we reach qualified status, the Secretary of State views all voters registered with the California National Party as equivalent to No Party Preference (NPP) voters. As such, all members would be able to vote in the presidential primaries of parties that allow NPP voters to participate. Since 2004, the Democratic and American Independent Parties have allowed this, and in 2016 so did the Libertarian Party.

Once we have become a qualified political party, voters with the California National Party would no longer be able to vote in the presidential primaries of other parties, and we do not intend to run our own presidential candidates. However, such voters would of course still be eligible to vote for United States president in the November general election.

A: There are almost 4 million more registered Democrats in California than Republicans, whose own leaders acknowledge their growing irrelevance here as a party. It is true that at the federal level, Republicans and Democrats remain locked in competition; however, since the California National Party does not run candidates for federal office, we encourage all voters registered with us to vote for whatever candidates they desire for the United States Congress, Senate, and Presidency. Some party members choose not to vote in federal elections at all.

It is clear that the Democratic Party within California is not in a position of weakness. They control all top level executive offices and wield super-majorities in both houses of the legislature, and thus a vote for a Republican is increasingly meaningless. Both parties do not win based on how many registered voters they have, but by votes in elections.

Conversely, the California National Part is in need of registered voters to attain qualified status. With the demise of the California GOP, we believe a viable new party must exist to avoid the corruption that results from one-party states and that we can be such a party for all Californians. Registering as a Republican or Democrat does nothing, while registering for the California National Party is the first step to a new form of California politics.

A:  All qualified voters can register—or, if under 18, pre-register—with the California National Party by using a physical voter registration form available at libraries, DMV offices, and other government locations throughout California. Those with a California ID or driver’s license can also do so online through the California Secretary of State’s website.

In either case, you must select “Other” as your party preference and enter or write exactly “California National Party” as your choice.

A: Much like a write-in vote, the Department of Elections will only recognize your registration with the California National Party if it is clear and unambiguous. Variations such as “CNP”, “CA National Party”, “California Nation Party”, “Californian National Party”, “California National”, and so forth are not accepted. Removing this barrier to registration is one of the many benefits gained from attaining qualified political party status (see above).

A: A few days after you register with the California National Party, you should receive a yellow card from the Secretary of State’s office with your name, address, and party affiliation which will, somewhat confusingly, read CNP. This is our official three-letter designation, such as DEM for the Democratic Party.

If you have a California ID or driver’s license, you can also check your registration status on the Secretary of State’s status page. Your political party preference should be listed there as “CALIFORNIA NATIONAL PARTY”. If you are having any problems, consider registering again or contacting your county Department of Elections.

A: Great, thank you for bringing us another step closer in building a genuine California based political party! There are many other ways you can help us to meet our goals and get the word out about the California National Party, such as donating, volunteering, and so forth. Please contact us to learn more about how to get involved.