I'm registered as an independent here in CA, but we don't have closed primaries so I could have voted for any party I wanted.
Depends who you want to vote for in the primaries. If you're actually registered unaffiliated or "Declines to State", you can vote in Democratic or American Independent party races, but not others (Republican, Peace & Freedom, Natural Law, etc). The Open Primary Initiative, Prop 198 from 1996 was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2000. We now have a "modified closed primary" system where if the party specifically requests to allow "Decline to State" voters, then you are permitted.
On the other hand, if you've mistakenly registered with the American Independent Party, you're only allowed to vote for their primary candidates - a race which featured Don Grundmann outlasting challengers Diane Templin and Mad Max Riekse with 37% of the 38,729 votes. Grundmann can now go forth and promote the
Party platform consisting of:
- Protect the right to life of the innocent unborn;
- Stop the undeclared wars which are daily costing American lives and billions of tax dollars;
- Stop reckless spending, including foreign aid, and take care of America’s domestic needs;
- End debt financing of both Federal and State governments;
- End the Federal income tax, and restore a tariff based revenue system;
- Immediately terminate international trade agreements such as NAFTA, WTO, and the proposed FTAA;
- Reduce immigration, and stop all government subsidies to illegal aliens; no driver’s licenses for illegals; deport all illegal aliens;
- Defend America’s moral values; keep God in the pledge of allegiance;
- Restore a debt free, interest free money system;
- Uphold traditional marriage and family values;
Which is dandy if that's what you meant to do...some people think it just means you get to vote in whatever party you want.