California

Vote By Mail: 

Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters beginning 29 days before Election Day. They can be returned by:

•  Mail to their county election office, postmarked by 8 PM

             Election Day and received no later than 7 days after 

             Election Day. County Elections Offices 

•  In person to any ballot dropbox, vote center/polling

            place, or county elections office in the state by 8 PM 

            Election Day. See https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/ 

Voters may authorize another person to return a ballot for them. 

In Person:

• At any vote center, polling place, or elections office in the voter’s county.
• List of VCA Participating Counties 
• Participating VCA Counties: Voting centers open 10 days before Election Day (hours may vary depending on location). On Election Day center hours are 7 AM-8 PM.
• Non-VCA Counties: Polling Places are open 7 AM-8 PM

Election Day. Early voting options are county-dependent; contact your county elections office. County Elections Offices 

VCA County: A registered voter can go to any vote center in their county to cast their ballot.

Non VCA County: A registered voter must vote at their assigned polling place.

To confirm whether you live in a VCA or non-VCA county,

check: VCA Participating Counties 

How to Find Your Voting Location: 

• Check your county-mailed “Voter Information Guide” 
• Look Online at Find Your Polling Place

Contact your county elections office or check their website at County Elections Offices

Registration Deadlines

• The voter registration deadline for the California General Election is Received by Mon Oct 21, 2024.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in California if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of California
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in California if:

• You are in prison for a felony conviction.
• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.

You can vote if you are currently incarcerated serving a felony jail sentence, and were not sentenced to prison time.

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.

You may preregister to vote in California

• At the age 16

How to register 

• California General Election
  • Submit an Application: Received by Mon Oct 21, 2024

Voter Eligibility:

To be eligible to vote in California, you must be: 

• a United States citizen,
• a resident of California,*
• 18 years old on Election Day,**
• not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony; and
• not currently found mentally incompetent by a court.***

*The person must be living in California at least 15 days prior to Election Day; if less than 15 days, they are still ELIGIBLE to vote for the Presidential/Vice Presidential race.

**Persons at least 16 years old may pre-register if they meet the eligibility requirements. They will automatically become eligible to vote when they turn 18.

*** A person has to be under a conservatorship and the judge removed the right to vote. It is up to the judge not a family member or person caring for the person under conservatorship. See this resource. https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/publications/your-voting-rights-when-you-are-under-conservatorship 

How to Register:

• Online: Register to Vote.
• Paper Form: available at county elections offices (County elections office), libraries, DMV offices, post offices, or other government offices. Return the form by mail or in person to the county elections office, or place it in a ballot dropbox (open from 28 to 15 days before Election Day). 
• DMV: Opting to register when completing a driver’s license, state ID, or change of address with the DMVBy phone/email/fax/in person: request a paper registration form from the county elections office (County Elections Offices). 
• Same Day: Within 14 days of Election Day, you must go in person to a vote center, polling place, or local county elections office to “conditionally register.”
• Military/Overseas: see section “If you are in the Military or are an Overseas Voter.”

Registration Deadlines:

• 15 days before Election Day
• Until 8 PM Election Day if utilizing Same Day (Conditional) registration. (Voter has to go in-person)

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

California General Election

Ballot Request:

• Automatic for Registered Voters

Ballot Return:

• Received by Tue Nov 5, 2024
• Postmarked On or Before Election Day and Received by Tue Nov 12, 2024

Early In-Person Voting:

• It depends on the county. There are 58 counties in California.
• VCA Participating Counties 
• Participating VCA Counties: Voting centers open 10 days before Election Day (hours may vary depending upon location). 
• Non-VCA Counties: Early voting options are county-dependent; contact your county elections office. County Elections Offices 

A list of locations offering early voting will be available at https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/.

Vote By Mail

No request is necessary, since all registered voters receive a ballot.  If a mail ballot is lost, spoiled, or never received, a replacement ballot can be requested by: 

• Online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/
• Calling the local county elections office directly and requesting a replacement ballot prior to 7 days before Election Day. (County Elections Offices.)
• Returning a written request (California Replacement Ballot Application) by mail, fax, email, ballot dropbox, or in person to the county elections office. (County Elections Offices) Ballot dropbox locations can be found at https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/.
• Using an “Accessible Vote by Mail Ballot” (RAVBM). Contact the local county elections office for assistance with this option if there is not a link for RAVBM on the county elections website.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in California you should provide:

• Your California Driver’s License or State non-driver ID Number
• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Valid Photo ID
• Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
• Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address

You can alternatively show one of these documents when you vote to complete your registration.

Voting In-Person

If you registered to vote in California, you may be required to present valid photo ID if you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete. You can use any ID from this list:

• Valid US Passport
• Insurance Plan ID Card
• Public Housing ID Card
• Health Club ID Card
• Valid Employee ID
• Valid California Driver’s License
• Valid Student ID
• Out of State Driver’s License or Non-driver ID
• Valid Military ID
• Debit or Credit Card
• Valid California Issued ID
• Valid Commercial ID

If you don’t have any of these ID’s, please look at the list of alternative ID’s in California.

If you do not have an ID from the above list, in California additional, acceptable forms of ID include:

• Public Transportation Authority Senior Discounted Fare ID Card
• Certificate of Vehicle Ownership
• Discharge Certificates, Pardons or other Similar Documents Issued to you by a Government Agency
• Lease or rental statement or agreement Issued by a Government Agency
• Government Check
• Sample Ballot mailed to you
• Voter notification or confirmation card
• Current Utility Bill
• ID Issued by a Government Disability Agency
• Insurance Plan or Discount Drug Plan Card Issued by a Government Agency
• Property Tax Statement
• A Government Issued Document that shows your Current Name and Address
• Bank Statement
• Other Official Elections Document
• Valid California Vehicle Registration
• University Tuition Bill Issued by a Government Agency
• Identification Documents Issued by Government Homeless Shelters or Other Facilities
• Government Paycheck
• Drug prescription Issued by a Government Doctor or Health Care Provider

Your ID documents must show your Current Name and Address and be no older than the Date of the last Election.

Voter Registration ID

Voters who do not provide a driver’s license, State ID, or Social Security number when registering will be asked for ID when they vote for the first time, whether by mail or in person. Any person who is unable at the time to provide requisite ID must be allowed to cast a provisional ballot.

By Mail:  Prior to voting their ballot, the voter must send a photocopy of their personal identification (see list of acceptable ID below) to their county elections official (County Elections Offices). Their ballot will remain unopened until the photocopy is provided.

In Person: Voters may provide an original or copy of the following: 

• Current and valid photo identification, including:
  • Driver’s license or identification card of any state
  • Passport
  • Employee identification card
  • Identification card provided by a commercial establishment
  • Credit or debit card
  • Military identification card
  • Student identification card
  • Health club identification card
  • Insurance plan identification card
  • Public housing identification card
• A document that includes name and address and is dated after the last General Election, including:
  • Utility bill
  • Bank statement
  • Government check or paycheck 
• Document issued by a governmental agency
  • Sample ballot or other official elections document dated for the election which the voter is providing as proof of residence of identity
  • Voter notification card
  • Public housing identification card
  • Lease or rental statement or agreement
  • Student identification card
  • Tuition statement or bill
  • Insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency
  • Discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence or other matter
  • Public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards
  • Identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies
  • Identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government Temporary or transitional facilities 
  • Drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider

Permanent Move:

Voter registration changes are automatically updated if an address was changed through the Department of Motor Vehicles or U.S. Postal Service.  This can be confirmed on the voter portal at https://registertovote.ca.gov/.

Voters that have moved permanently and still need to update their registration may do so up to 15 days prior to Election Day by:

• Online (https://registertovote.ca.gov/) or 
• Paper voter registration application, or 
• Sending a signed letter to the voter’s current county elections office (County Elections Offices) with their name, current new address, and date of birth 

If they miss the 15 day deadline, they will need to re-register at a voting center/polling place IN PERSON.  If their updated registration can be verified, they will be allowed to vote a regular ballot.  If the vote center/polling place does not have the means for onsite verification, then the voter will be provided a provisional ballot at their current location.

Temporary Move:

If the voter intends to return to their permanent residence at a future date, the voter can continue to use their permanent residence as their registration address and simply update the mailing address for their ballot to be received at their temporary location.  Keep in mind that county elections officials will not mail out ballots after 7 days before Election Day.  Updating a temporary address may be done:

• Online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/, ideally at least 30 days before Election Day (because ballots are mailed 29 days prior to Election Day). If between 29 and 7 days before any election, the voter can instead request a replacement ballot with the temporary address.  

• In writing or by contacting their county elections office directly, ideally at least 30 days prior to Election Day in order for a new ballot to be sent to the voter’s temporary residence. If between 29 and 7 days before Election Day, the voter can request a replacement ballot instead with the temporary address. (County Elections Offices)

• If the voter misses the 7 day deadline to request a replacement ballot to their temporary address, they still have the option to receive a ballot by using the “Accessible Vote by Mail Ballot:” (RAVBM) They will need to contact their county elections for assistance with this option. (County Elections Offices) 

Elections Officials will count only the first ballot that comes to the elections office, in case one ballot gets mailed to the permanent address and one goes to the temporary address.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID

Registration:

Regardless of their current registration status, military/overseas CA residents must complete either the online voter registration application or the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA)  in order to receive election materials and vote when absent from the country. The military/overseas voter can choose to have their ballot mailed, faxed, or emailed to them. 

Registration deadline is 15 days prior to Election Day. If the military/overseas voter misses the deadline, they will be able to complete a “Remote Conditional Registration Form” available online, and once their eligibility information is verified, they can receive a ballot through the Remote Accessible Vote By Mail (RAVBM) System. The military/overseas voter will need to contact their local elections office for assistance in this circumstance, and they will need access to the internet, computer/tablet, and a printer. (County Elections Offices)

Voting:

Ballots will be sent/transmitted to military/overseas voters in the manner the voter requested in their application no sooner than 60 days and no later than 45 days before Election Day. Completed ballots can be returned only by mail or fax: 

• If mailing: The voted ballot and signed return envelope must be postmarked/time stamped on or before 8 PM PST Election Day and received by the voter’s county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day.

• If faxing: In addition to their completed ballot with a signed declaration on the return envelope, the military/overseas voter must also fax an “Oath of Voter” form to waive their right to a confidential vote. (This oath is in addition to the voter’s declaration that is on the Military or Overseas Voter Return Envelope.) The voter should use the oath form provided by their county; however, many counties also accept the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Alternative Form (PDF). The voter should check with their county elections office (County Elections Offices) before using FVAP’s Alternative Form.
  • The faxed ballot package (ballot, envelope, and oath) must be completely received by their county elections office by 8:00 p.m. PST on Election Day. 

• If the military/overseas voter has no access to a fax machine, they can email the completed ballot, the Standard Oath, and the Oath of Voter to fax@fvap.org and the Federal Voting Assistance Program will fax the voter’s election materials to their local elections office. 

Ballot Never Received: 

If the voter sent their application materials at least 30 days before Election Day and still have not received their ballot within 14 days of Election Day, they should first contact their county elections office ASAP (County Elections Offices) to inform them of the situation and discuss what remedies exist under their specific circumstances (i.e. replacement ballot or “Remote Accessible Vote By Mail” (RAVBM) option.

FWAB: If the military/overseas voter is concerned they won’t receive their regular ballot in time to vote, they can request a “Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot” (FWAB), which is a blank write-in ballot. FWABs are available at consulates, embassies, from Military Voting Assistance Officers, and online at Standard Form 186, “Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)”. FWABs can be returned by mail or fax.  Mailed FWABs must be postmarked/time stamped by 8:00 p.m. PST Election Day and received no later than 7 days after Election Day.  Faxed FWABs must be received by 8 p.m. PST Election Day.

Information on Mailing Addresses and FAX numbers for Military and Overseas Voters can be found at: 

Mailing Addresses and Fax Numbers for Military or Overseas Voters 

Ask are you in a locked facility right now? If not, you are eligible. If yes use the SOS chart https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-rights-restored

Misdemeanor Conviction:

CA residents with a misdemeanor conviction, or those with a criminal conviction in juvenile court, do not lose their right to vote. Residents who are incarcerated/detained under these circumstances do not lose their right to vote.

Felony Conviction:

CA residents convicted of a felony and given a “Felony Jail Sentence” do not lose their right to vote or register to vote.

CA residents with a state or federal felony prison sentence that are currently serving their sentence in a state or federal prison or housed for that prison felony in a local detention facility/county jail, or those who are currently in a county jail awaiting transfer to a state or federal prison, become ineligible to vote.

When the resident is released from prison, their right to vote is automatically restored, but they will need to re-register at: https://registertovote.ca.gov/

CA residents with a history of criminal convictions can check their eligibility on the state on-line tool at Voting Rights Restored.