Learn about all the options to vote in California to make a plan to vote that works for you!
California is a vote by mail state. This means that all registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot to the address on their voter registration. If you have moved you must update your registration.
California Elections Office Phone Number: (800) 345-8683
Whether you are registering to vote for the first time, or need to update your address, name or party affiliation - we've got you covered!
Not sure if you are eligible to vote due to a felony conviction?
Click here to learn more.
Absolutely! You can check your voter registration online on Califonia’s elections office website here.
It can take several weeks. Most states send out voter registration cards within 5 to 7 weeks after receiving the registration. If you do not receive a registration card in the mail, contact your state election office to confirm you are registered. Find your state’s contact information in our How to Vote in Your State section on this page! In any event, you should verify your registration a week prior to the voter registration deadline in your state in case you need to fill out a new registration form or correct your form.
Elections take place all the time throughout the year, and odds are, you probably have an election coming up in your state! In addition to the presidential election and midterm elections, you have statewide, countywide and municipal elections that you can make your voice heard in. Make sure you know when your upcoming elections are so that you don’t miss a single one! Check out when your next election is here.
Your state provides an online ballot tracking system. You can track your ballot here!
YES you are able to register to vote at your student address. You should provide your official campus mailing address as well as the actual physical address of your on or off campus residence when registering to vote. If this is your first time voting, you must have some sort of proof of address and residency that can be presented at your polling place (mail, a student ID, etc.). For more information, we suggest visiting your state’s elections office website. Remember: you can only register to vote and vote in one place, whether that is your student address or your home address!
YES, unhoused voters can register to vote and use their voice in California’s elections. Unhoused voters or voters without a permanent address may list a shelter address, street corner, or park as their address. For more information on voting while unhoused, visit our friends at the National Coalition for the Homeless.
YES. In this case you must register at the last address you had before you left the USA, or at the address to which you will return to when returning to the USA (you must present some indication of a present intent to return and live there – e.g. vehicle registration, driver’s license, property ownership, family, etc). If you have never had a permanent address in the United States but are a citizen you are allowed to register at an address you plan on moving to or an address where you currently have family living. Access more information on voting overseas here.
You may call the voting rights hotline at 866 687-8683, if informing another poll worker isn’t successful. They have lawyers ready to help you. Additionally, you can call the civil rights division of the U.S Department of Justice.
You can also find California elections office here and contact them by phone at (916) 657-2166.
Request and track
Notice: Mail-in voting is a convenient and safe way to vote, but your ballot might not count if it’s submitted late or with errors. So follow the directions below on how to vote early or absentee and make your vote count in California.
Voting by mail is a one step process in California. Ballots are automatically mailed to all registered voters.
After you complete your ballot, be sure to return it ASAP!
Need your ballot sent to a different address? Apply for your ballot here as soon as possible and follow the steps listed above.
Remember to sign where indicated before returning your ballot.
After completing your ballot, put it into the return envelope provided by the state. Sign the self-affirmation on the return envelope.
Be sure that your signature matches your signature on file with the state! If you registered online or at the DMV, check the signature on your license. If the signature does not match, your ballot could be tossed and will not count.
If you return your ballot by mail, your postage is prepaid.
You can also drop off your ballot in person at your local elections office, drop box, early voting locations, or polling place.
Any designated person can drop off a ballot for you. You must fill out the authorization section found on the outside of the ballot envelope.
Track your ballot by clicking here.
If you decide to vote in person rather than use your mail-in ballot, go to your polling place or early voting location and vote. To vote at a vote center, you do not need to bring your unused ballot. To vote at a polling place, you do need to bring your unused ballot to be "surrendered." If you do not bring your ballot, you will vote via provisional ballot.
California does offer voters a chance to address challenges to their ballot.
Your state has a cure period, which means you can “cure” a challenge to the signature on your ballot if it was done incorrectly. You will be contacted if there is a challenge to your signature through Election Day.
If there is a challenge to your ballot signature, you will have until 2 days before the election’s certification (date TBD) to “cure” the challenge. If you did not sign your ballot, you will have until the 8th day after Election Day to “cure” the mistake.
You may get a call from a number you don’t recognize with the notification that you need to cure your ballot. Be sure to pick up so that you don’t miss your chance to make sure your vote is counted!
California voters are not required to show ID at the polls or by mail.
First time voters who did not provide their DL number or SSN when registering to vote will need to provide one of the following forms of identification when voting;
In Person: Photo ID or proof of residence
By Mail: Copy of photo ID or proof of residence
Valid Forms of Identification include;
Photo IDs that have photograph and name
“Non-photo” IDs that have name and address
Enter your address below to see what you can expect on Election Day.
Your state automatically registers people to vote at the address on their drivers license or other state issued ID card. If you have moved but have not updated your ID with your new address, changed your name or want to add a political party selection, you must update your voter registration. Click here to check to see if you are registered to vote, and update your registration if needed.
You can register to vote and cast your ballot on Election Day at your polling place or local elections office. Bring a valid ID and proof of residence with you.
Dates and hours vary by county. Contact your Local Election Office for more information.
You can return your mail-in ballot to your early voting site.
Exact early voting dates and hours vary and are determined by your county elections office.
Some states have laws that specifically allow citizens to preregister at a certain age while others allow registration as long as you’re 18 by the next election. Preregistration means you’ll be automatically registered to vote on your 18th birthday without taking any additional steps.
In California, you can preregister to vote if you are 16. Register to vote today!
Some states even let you vote in their primaries at 17 if you’ll be 18 by the general election so you can participate in the whole process!
You can not vote in the California primaries if you are 18 by the next election.
