Voter Registration
In California, the deadline to register to vote for any election is 15 days before Election Day, so please register early!
| Election Date | Your registration must be postmarked or submitted electronically no later than: |
|---|---|
| November 8, 2016 (General Election) |
October 24, 2016 |
You can apply to register to vote right now by filling in the online application. If you have any questions, visit Frequently Asked Questions, contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (800) 345-8683 or by email.
If you are enrolled in California's confidential address program, Safe At Home, please do not apply to register to vote using this site. Contact the Safe At Home program toll-free at (877) 322-5227 or by the Safe At Home email.
Assistance in Other Languages
The California Secretary of State's online application is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Pick Up a Voter Registration Application
You can also pick up a paper voter registration application at your county elections office, library, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, or U.S. post office. It is important that your voter registration application be filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to your county elections office at least 15 days before the election.
Military and Overseas Voters
Military and overseas voters are United States citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services (on active duty) and their eligible dependents, members of the Merchant Marine and their eligible dependents, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or United States citizens residing outside the United States. To apply to register to vote, receive your elections materials, and vote, you must apply for a special absentee ballot by filling out the Federal Post Card Application (PDF).
Voting Options for College Students
As a Californian living away from home while attending a college, trade school or technical school, you may choose to register to vote using your home away from home address you use while at school or your traditional home address.
Choosing which address to use when you register to vote is a personal decision. Whatever you decide, you may not register to vote in two places during the same election cycle.
Voting While Living Abroad
If you are a student living temporarily outside the United States, you can register to vote and apply to vote by mail using the Federal Post Card Application (PDF) that is used by all other Californians who are living abroad.
Qualifications
To register to vote in California, you must be:
- A United States citizen,
- A resident of California,
- 18 years of age or older on Election Day,
- Not currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony (for more information on the rights of people who have been incarcerated, please see the Secretary of State's Voting Rights for Californians with Criminal Convictions or Detained in Jail or Prison), and
- Not currently found to be mentally incompetent by a court of law (for more information, please see Voting Rights: Persons Subject to Conservatorship).
Are You Already Registered to Vote?
To find out if you are currently registered to vote, visit Check Status of Your Voter Registration.
When to Re-Register to Vote
You need to re-register to vote when:
- You move to a new permanent residence,
- You change your name, or
- You change your political party choice.
As a California voter, be aware that local elections in some areas are held on dates that do not coincide with statewide election dates. The 15-day close of registration deadline for these local elections varies depending on the actual date of the election. If you need to know a deadline for a local election, contact your county elections office.
Voter Registration Drives
Anyone distributing voter registration cards in California should be familiar with the rules and regulations for conducting voter registration drives.
Anyone requesting 50 or more voter registration cards from the Secretary of State must complete and submit a Statement of Distribution Form and a plan of distribution to the Secretary of State via mail or fax to:
- California Secretary of State
- Elections Division
- 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor
- Sacramento, CA 95814
- Fax: (916) 653-3214
The Secretary of State's Elections Division will process the request within 48 hours of receiving the form. For additional assistance, please contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (916) 657-2166.
Voter Registration Statistics
The Secretary of State is responsible for producing a statistical report detailing voter registration numbers in California. To view these reports, please go to Voter Registration Statistics.
Voter Bill of Rights
The law prohibits your voter registration information from being used for commercial purposes. Report any problems to the Secretary of State's Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683). For additional information regarding your voting rights, please go to Voter Bill of Rights.
Additional Assistance
For additional assistance, please contact the Secretary of State.