Voters who passed over the "Republican,"

"Democratic" and "American Independent" boxes to check the

"decline to state" box when they registered will have to follow a different

set of rules than the rest in the presidential Primary Election Feb. 5.

The "declined to state" voters can either take a

non-party ballot to vote on just the measures, take a Democratic ballot or an

American independent ballot at the polls, but not a Republican ballot.

The San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters received a letter

from the Secretary of State that said the Democratic and American Independent

parties will allow voters outside of a party to vote on either of their

candidates, said Austin Erdman, the county's interim registrar.

Only voters in the Republican Party can vote on a Republican

ballot.

"It's a party choice," Erdman said. "Those

parties (Democratic and American Independent) have chosen to allow it."

The deadline to re-register and claim a party was Monday.

The primary will determine which candidates will be on the

ballot for each party in the presidential election in Nov. 7.