Voters who want to participate in June’s primary elections must be enrolled in a political party, and the deadline to update that affiliation is Feb. 14.

Anyone registered to vote but not enrolled in a party won’t be able to cast a ballot in the primaries. The deadline is especially important for first-time or younger voters who may not realize they must declare a party affiliation.

“It’s extremely important for voters to know this because this is the very first step in the election process,” said Kathy Meany, co-president of the League of Women Voters. “We have many voters that maybe complain in November that the candidates they want are not on the ballot, but they haven’t taken the opportunity to vote in the primary elections in June. So, this is the very first step in the process.”

Voters can update their registration online or by submitting a form to their local elections office.