By Gina Roberts, February 2016 Web Exclusive.

Arizona voters have an opportunity to vote in our state’s Presidential Preference Election March 22. This election will help determine who will be chosen as the presidential nominees by party delegates at their national political conventions this summer. As an Arizona voter, this is your opportunity to influence the presidential selection process before the November general election.

The way it works is simple: Arizona voters must be registered with a political party participating in the Presidential Preference Election by Feb. 22. The Democratic, Green and Republican parties are participating in the Presidential Preference Election.

According to Arizona election law, only those voters registered with a participating political party can vote in this election. Those currently registered as Independents must change their party designation to one of the three participating parties by the Feb. 22 deadline if they want to vote in the Presidential Preference Election. After the election, they may change their registration back to Independent if they so choose.

Once registered with a participating party, voters can begin voting as early as Feb. 24 when early ballots go out in the mail. Voters can request an early ballot now from their county recorder’s office. Or, voters can vote in person on March 22 by visiting their designated polling place, or, if in a county with vote centers, at any vote center within that county.

After the election, party delegates will then carry the preference of Arizona’s voters, from each participating party, to their conventions. There, the delegates will determine their official party nominees for the next president of the United States.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission is dedicated to ensuring that Arizonans have access to unbiased information and resources to help make these important decisions. The Citizens Clean Elections Commission offers straightforward and easy-to-use resources, such as a voter registration portal, identification required at the polls, FAQs and a calendar of voter deadlines, at AZCleanelections.gov. Or, for more information on the Presidential Preference Election, visit azcleanelections.gov/ppe.