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In
our Voter Service role, we present unbiased, nonpartisan information
about elections, the voting process, and issues on the ballot.
ON THIS PAGE:
You may register to vote at any time, but you must be registered on
or before 15 days prior to the election. A postmark on the 15th day
prior to the election is acceptable.
If you register between 29 and 15 days prior to the election you will
be sent a sample ballot only if there is time to process your registration.
Otherwise you will receive a post card giving your polling place location.
Sample ballots will be available at the polling places.
EXCEPTIONS:
- There is an exception for persons who were naturalized after the
15th day prior to an election. If they were naturalized on or before
the 7th day prior to the election they may go to the County
Elections Official's office with proof of residence in the county
and proof of citizenship and register and vote.
- There is also an exception for persons who establish residency in
California after the 15th day prior to an election. They are eligible
to vote a special ballot for President and Vice President of the United
States only.
Voter registration is free. No fee may be charged for voter registration.
No postage is required to mail the voter registration application form
to the County Elections Official.
You must:
- be a United States citizen
- be 18 years of age on or before the day of the election
- be a resident of the State of California
- not be in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony
- not judicially determined to be incompetent to vote.
You do not need to know how to read or write in English or any other language.
No tests are given when you register to vote. Probationers may vote.
- You may not register for someone else. You may help someone fill
out the form, but that person must sign the form.
- You must fill out a voter registration application form and send
it to your County
Elections Official.
- You can fill
out a form online that will be mailed to you for signature.
- You can download a form in
English or Spanish
(PDF format).
- You can request a form from your County Elections Official.
- You can call a toll-free number and request that a form be mailed
to you - in English (1-800-345-VOTE) or in Spanish (1-800-345-VOTA).
- You can pick up a form at Post Offices, public libraries, city
halls or Department of Motor Vehicles offices.
- You must provide the following information:
- Your full name - first, middle, last.
- Your complete residence address
- not a post office box . (If there is no street address you may
describe where you live.)
- The address where you get your mail - this may be a post
office box.
- Your complete date of birth - month/day/year.
- Your California drivers' license number or identification
card number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number
(SSN). If you do not include this information you will be required
to provide identification when you vote.
- The name of the state in the U.S.A. or foreign country where
you were born.
- Your political party preference -
you may check "decline to state" if you wish.
- In which language you prefer to receive election materials
- language choices will vary by county.
- The address at which you were last registered to vote (if any).
- Your signature and the date you signed the form. By signing
the form you certify that the information is truthful and correct
under penalty of perjury. If you are unable to write your name
you may make a mark or a cross. Someone may fill out the form
for you. That person must sign and date the form below your mark.
- Information you may provide if you wish - you cannot be required
to give this information:
- Mr., Mrs., Miss or Ms.
- Your telephone number. This number becomes a public record.
You will receive a notice by mail that you are registered to vote.
If you do not receive the notice within three weeks of mailing call
your County
Elections Official and ask if you are registered.
Where are you legally entitled to register and vote?
The statute refers to your "domicile" - the place where your family
lives, where you physically reside, the place you intend to return to
whenever you are gone from it, the address on your driver's license,
where you claim your homeowner's property tax exemption or renter's
tax credit. You can have only one domicile, even if you have more than
one house or residence. See the California
Elections Code for more information about domiciles.
- If you are a college student living away from home you may
register at your college residence address (on or off campus) or at
your permanent home address, but only at one of those places.
- If you own more than one residence you must decide which one is
your "domicile" and register and vote at only one place.
- If you are homeless you may register as long as you maintain
a fixed location where you can receive mail and at which you can be
assigned to a precinct.
You must re-register to vote (by filling out a registration
application form) if:
- you change your address within the county or move to another county
in California or are a new resident of the state
- you change your name
- you wish to affiliate with (join) a political party or change your
political party affiliation
To change your address within the same county
| HOW OFTEN
DO YOU HAVE TO REGISTER TO VOTE? |
Voter registration is permanent. Your voter registration will not
be cancelled if you do not vote. If you remain at the same address and
you remain eligible to vote you will not need to register to vote again.
From time to time the County Elections Official will mail a form to
your address. If the form is returned by the post office because you
no longer live at that address then the County Elections Official will
remove your name from the list of registered voters.
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