You are not required to declare a party preference. However, you should know Ohio is a closed primary state. In a primary election, voters may only vote for candidates in their party. By not selecting a party, you limit your vote in the primaries to only issues. In the general election, party affiliation is not an issue. You may vote for any candidate, regardless of party preference.

A party affiliation may be declared and changed only by casting a ballot in a particular party's Primary Election.