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VOTING IN CALIFORNIA

Voter Eligibility - Who Can Vote?​

Under federal law, if you move within 30 days of a presidential election, you are allowed to vote for President and Vice President in your former state of residence, either in person or by absentee ballot.
  • Minimum Age To Vote: 18 years of age or older on Election Day
  • Minimum Age To Register To Vote: You can pre-register to vote at 16 or 17 and if you do, you will automatically be registered to vote on your 18th birthday.

To register to vote in the State of California, an individual must meet the following qualifications:

  • Be a United States Citizen
  • A Resident of California,
  • Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court
  • Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony

Ways To Register To Vote​

By Mail​

Pick up a paper voter registration application at any Department of Motor Vehicles field office, and many post offices, public libraries, and government offices, or request one from your county elections office.
To receive a voter registration application by mail from the Secretary of State, call the toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683

In Person​

Registration for new residents and new citizens shall be in progress beginning with the 14th day prior to an election and ending on the seventh day prior to election day. Otherwise, the deadline to register to vote is at least 15 days before Election Day.

Online​

Online registration deadline is 15 days before Election Day. If you are enrolled in California's confidential address program, Safe At Home, please do not apply to register to vote using the online option. Contact the Safe At Home program toll-free at (877) 322-5227 or by the Safe At Home email - http://www.sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home/

Same Day Voter Registration​

Same Day Voter Registration is available to Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for an election. A new citizen is eligible to register and vote at the office of, or at another location designated by, the county elections official at any time beginning on the 14th day before an election and ending at the close of polls on the election day following the date on which that person became a citizen.

How Do I Know I'm Registered?​

  • Consider yourself registered when- and only when- you receive an acknowledgment from your county clerk.
  • Never assume you are registered to vote until you have received this acknowledgment.
  • Call your county clerk and inquire about the status of your application.

Other ways to register to vote​

Ways To Vote​

Voters have the following 2 Options to vote:

Voting In Person at the Polls​

The address of your polling place is on the back page of the sample ballot booklet that your county elections official mailed to you. If you do not have the booklet, contact your county elections office, or call the Secretary of State's toll-free voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683). Even if your name is not on the voter list at the polling place, you have the right to vote with a provisional ballot. Your provisional ballot will be counted only after the elections official has confirmed you are a registered voter and you did not vote anywhere else in that election. The poll worker can give you information about how to check if your provisional ballot was counted and, if it was not counted, the reason why.

Voting By Mail​

Instead of going to the polls on Election Day, you may vote using the vote-by-mail ballot that will be sent to you. After you have voted, insert your ballot in the envelope provided, making sure you complete all required information on the envelope. When your vote-by-mail ballot is received by your county elections official, your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature(s) in your voter registration record. To preserve the secrecy of your ballot, the ballot will then be separated from the return envelope, and then it will be tallied. All valid vote-by-mail ballots are counted in every election in California, regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race. For additional information on how and when ballots are verified and tabulated, please visit our description of how the official canvass of the vote is completed.

Voter Identification​

  • Voter Identification Law Enacted? NO

California voters are not required to show identification​

  • According to the Office of the California Secretary of State, In most cases, California voters are not required to show identification at their polling place. However, it is a good idea to bring identification with you when you vote for the first time. A poll worker may ask to see your identification if you mailed your voter registration application and did not include your driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

To register online you will need:​

  • Your California driver license or California identification card number,
  • The last four digits of your social security number and
  • Your date of birth.

What Are Acceptable Forms Of Identification?​

  • A copy of a recent utility bill, the county Voter Information Guide you received from your county elections office, or another document sent to you by a government agency are examples of acceptable forms of identification. Other examples include your passport, driver license, official California identification card, or student identification card.

Voter Information Lookup​

  • Voter Information Lookup Tool​

  • Use this tool to:​

    • Check your Voter Registration Status
    • Check where you are registered to vote
    • Check your political party preference
    • Check your Polling Place Location
    • View Your Sample Ballot
    • Check Absentee Application and Ballot Status
    • Find contact information for your county elections office.