If recently-declared presidential candidate Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders plans to run in the New Hampshire primary, he’ll have to do so as a registered Democrat.
That’s according to Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who says declaring party affiliation has always been a requirement to get on the ballot for state and federal office.
“They all have a part of the form that the person filling it out must fill in the name of the party the person is a registered member of," he said. "That’s standard here and it has been for some time.”
While the politically-independent Sanders says he plans to run as a Democrat, Vermont has no party registration.
Sanders has never run in a general election as a Democrat.
New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley says the party "will work to satisfy any concerns of the New Hampshire Secretary of State to ensure Sen. Sanders is on the democratic primary ballot."
