Voter Registeration

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Voter Registration

Frequently Asked Questions

This webpage contains information about registering to vote in California. If you have a question that you do not see answered here, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Are You Already Registered to Vote?

To find out if you are currently registered to vote, contact your county elections office. If you are not registered to vote, you can ask your county elections office how to register or you can follow the simple steps below.

Registering to Vote

You may register to vote in California if:

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 a felony conviction. For more information on the rights of people who have been incarcerated, please see the Secretary of State's Voting Guide for Inmates.
You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent
California Registration Deadlines

California Voter Registration
Deadlines for Upcoming Elections
Election Date Your registration must be
postmarked no later than:
April 13, 2010
(Primary, Senate District 37) March 29, 2010
April 13, 2010
(Primary, Assembly District 43) March 29, 2010
June 8, 2010
(General, Senate District 37) May 24, 2010
June 8, 2010
(General, Assembly District 43) May 24, 2010
June 8, 2010
(Primary Election) May 24, 2010
November 2, 2010
(General Election) October 18, 2010


How You Can Register to Vote

Fill Out A Voter Registration Form Now

Simply step through the screens and fill in the information requested on the form. Then print it, sign it, and mail it directly to the county elections office address that is pre-printed on the form. If you have any questions, you may contact the Elections Division at elections@sos.ca.gov or (800) 345-8683.

Pick Up A Voter Registration Form

You can pick up a voter registration form at your county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office. It is important that your voter registration form be filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to your county elections office at least 15 days before the election.

If you are enrolled in California's Confidential Address Program, Safe At Home, please do not attempt to register to vote using this site. To register to vote, contact the Safe At Home program toll free at (877) 322-5227 or by email at safeathome@sos.ca.gov.

Military and Overseas Voter Information

Includes 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, Commissioner Corps of the Public Health Service, Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or United States citizens residing outside the United States.

When to Re-Register to Vote

You will need to re-register to vote when:

You move to a new permanent residence
You change your name
You change your political party choice
As a California voter, you should be aware that in some areas, local elections 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 Deadlines

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!

Voter Registration Drives

Anyone distributing voter registration cards in California should be familiar with the rules and regulations for conducting voter registration drives. For information, please read the Secretary of State's Guide to Voter Registration Drives.

Statement of Distribution Form for Voter Registration Cards

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.

The statement and plan of distribution can be mailed or faxed 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 it. For additional assistance, please contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (916) 657-2166.

Report of Registration

The Secretary of State is responsible for producing a statistical report detailing voter registration numbers in California several times per year. To view these reports, please go to Report of Registration.

Additional Assistance

For additional assistance with voter registration, please contact the Secretary of State's office at the following toll-free numbers:

English: (800) 345-8683
Chinese: (800) 339-2857
Japanese: (800) 339-2865
Korean: (866) 575-1558
Spanish: (800) 232-8682
Tagalog: (800) 339-2957
Vietnamese: (800) 339-8163

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