Registration Process

Who May Register to Vote

You may register to vote if you meet the following criteria:

• You are a United States citizen
• You are a resident of California
• You are at least 18 years of age (or will be by the date of the next election)
• You are not in prison or on parole for conviction of a felony
• You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote

The Deadline to Register to Vote

In California, the deadline to register to vote for an election is 15 days before each local and statewide election day, so please register early!

How to Register to Vote

1. Fill out a Voter Registration Form Online Complete this on-line form and you will be mailed a typed registration form to you. After you receive the pre-typed form, just sign it and mail it to your county election official. We recommend you use this service at least one month prior to election day to avoid missing your opportunity to vote due to postal delays.

Once you receive your form in the mail, which takes approximately 7 to 14 days, you must sign, date, and return it by mail to the county elections official on the return address side of the voter registration card. Please make sure all of the information is correct and drop the pre-paid envelope back in the mail.

For security purposes, full on-line voter registration is not yet available and current law requires the voter's original signature be affixed to the VRC, by completing the information requested in the on-line form, a registration card with your information will be printed and mailed to you.

OR

Download and Mail a Voter Registration Form. Please remember to sign it and MAIL it DIRECTLY to your COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. For COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE ADDRESSES Click Here

When to Re-Register to Vote

You will need to re-register to vote when:

• You move
• You change your name
• You change your political party affiliation

As a California voter, you should be aware that there are ongoing local elections throughout the state. 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, you will need to contact your local county elections office to confirm the deadline. You can acquire a voter registration form either at your local county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office. It is important that the completed voter registration form has a 15-day deadline postmark on it. It is not the Secretary of State's Office desire to disenfranchise anyone from the voting process.

2. Overseas Voter Registration and Absentee Voting

If you are a US citizen and are going to be overseas or if you are in the military and wish to vote absentee, there are special provisions for you to register and receive an overseas absentee ballot. To do this you may need to complete a "Federal Post Card Registration and Absentee Ballot Request," and mail it to your local county elections official.

Overseas Absentee Ballot

Many times, overseas military voters, their overseas spouses and dependents, and other registered voters residing abroad have a difficult time obtaining, voting, and returning their ballots by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Pursuant to a new law, effective January 1, 2004, a request for an absentee ballot from an overseas voter will be regarded and processed as a request for permanent absentee status. (Ch. 347, Stats. 2003.) In addition, this same new law states that voters no longer have to re-apply for permanent absentee voter status if they fail to vote in a statewide primary election. These voters will retain their permanent absentee voter (PAV) status and will be automatically sent an absentee ballot to vote in the next general election. However, a permanent absentee voter must vote in the next general election or the voter will lose his or her PAV status.

Please note: There are special requirements for new citizens and new California residents. For further information regarding these requirements, please contact the local elections official in the county in which you are registered to vote. There are also special provisions for new citizens and new residents within California. For further information about these alternatives, contact the county elections official of the county in which you are registered.