How to vote in California

You can register to vote online with a California driver license, driver permit, nondriver ID card or Social Security Number. If you do not have California issued identification or a Social Security Number, you can still register to vote online, but you may need to show proof of residency or other identification the first time that you vote.

How to register to vote by-mail in California

Download and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
Box 6 - ID Number: Provide your California driver’s license or California identification card number. If you do not have these numbers, provide the last 4 digits of your social security number. If you do not have any of these numbers, write "NONE" in this space. If you do not include this information, you will be required to provide identification when you vote if it is your first time voting in a federal election.
Box 7 - Choice of Party: If you wish to choose a party preference, please enter the name of the political party. If you do not want to choose a political party, enter “No Party Preference” in the space provided. California law allows voters who choose “No Party Preference” or have chosen a preference for a non-qualified political party to vote in the presidential primary election of any qualified political party that files a notice with the Secretary of State allowing them to do so. You can call 1-800-345-VOTE or visit www.sos.ca.gov to learn which political parties allow “No Party Preference” voters and voters who have disclosed a preference for a non-qualified political party to participate in their presidential primary election.
Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: Leave blank.
Print, date, and sign the form. If you do not have a printer, you can print the form out at any local library. If you do not have a stamp, you can buy one from any grocery store: just ask the cashier to sell you one.
Mail your voter registration form to the mailing address below. For faster delivery, send the form directly to your local election office.
Your voter registration form must be postmarked by 15 days before Election Day .

How to register to vote in-person in California

Contact your local election office to find where to register to vote in person.

Bring your California driver's license or state ID card with you. If you don't have one, bring one photo ID issued by any state or Federal Government, and bring one document that shows your name and current address. Acceptable documents include a recent utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, residential lease, or any government document that shows your name and address.

Same day voter registration in California

Summary: California has same day registration. You can register and vote during the early voting period and on Election Day.
Where to go:

Go to your designated voting location. Click here to find where to vote.

Registering to vote in California with a felony conviction

Voting rights are restored upon release from prison. You can register to vote on probation or parole.

You cannot vote while incarcerated.
You can vote while on parole.
You can vote while on probation.
You can vote upon completion of your sentence.
No financial obligations.
Please visit Restore Your Vote for additional information.

California absentee and mail ballot guide

California absentee ballot overview

All California elections are held by mail. This means that California will automatically send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter ahead of all elections.

If you need to update your mailing address permanently, register to vote again using your new mailing address.
If you need to update your mailing address temporarily -- because you will be out of town for a specific election -- request a one-time absentee ballot.

California absentee deadlines

Earliest day to apply: January 1
Request deadline (online): N/A
Request deadline (by mail): Received by 7 days before Election Day
Request deadline (in person): Election Day
Deadline to return your ballot (by mail): Postmarked by Election Day
Deadline to return your ballot (in person): Received by Election Day

California absentee ballot rules

All California elections are vote-by-mail. This means that California will automatically send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter ahead of all elections.
If you need to update your mailing address temporarily for a specific election, request a one-time absentee ballot.

California online ballot request

California does not allow you to request your ballot online.

California by-mail ballot request

Download the California absentee ballot application.
Fill out all of the required fields.
Print the application.
Sign and date your application. This is very important.
Mail or hand-deliver your completed application directly to your local election office as soon as possible, but no later than the deadline.
If it’s close to the deadline, call your local election office and see if they will let you submit your application via email or fax.
Your application must be received by 7 days before Election Day .

California in-person ballot request

Visit your local election office.
Ask the clerk to give you an absentee ballot application.
Fill out all of the required fields.
Sign and date your application.
The deadline to apply in person is Election Day .

After you receive your ballot

Carefully read and follow the instructions, and fill out all required fields.
Sign and date the outside envelope.
Mail or hand-deliver your ballot to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver your ballot to a drop box if one is available nearby. You can use our Find Out Where To Vote tool to find an official drop box.
If you mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by Election Day .
If you hand-deliver your ballot, it must be received by Election Day .
If you miss the deadline – or forget to sign the outside envelope – your vote will not be counted.

California absentee ballot ID requirements

ID required when requesting a mail-in ballot:

The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.

Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.

California absentee ballot tracker

California absentee ballot curing

Ballot curing is the process of resolving any problems with your absentee or mail ballot to ensure that your vote is counted. After tracking your ballot, contact your local election office to fix any issues that have been noted.

Your ballot will be rejected if your signature is missing or if your signature does not match the signature already on file.
You must fix these issues by 5:00 pm two days prior to the certification of the election for your vote to be counted.

California emergency ballots

Some states have special procedures that allow you to obtain an emergency ballot if a medical or other emergency occurs after the standard absentee ballot application window.

Emergency Ballot Rules

All California elections are held by mail, and the state laws do not mention emergency ballots. If you are emergency worker who has been assigned outside of the state, your local election office can send your ballot via email or fax if needed.

California does not offer emergency ballots.

California early voting guide

California early voting dates

Early voting starts: 29 days before Election Day
Early voting ends: 1 day before Election Day

What to bring

Most California voters do not need to show ID. First time California voters should plan on showing ID at the polls. You can show a photo ID issued by any state or the Federal Government, a student ID issued by an accredited college or university, or a tribal ID. If you don't have a photo ID, you can show a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or any government document that shows your name and current address.

California voter ID guide

ID required to vote in person

ID required to request a mail-in ballot

The signature on your absentee ballot application will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match.

ID required when returning a mail-in ballot

Your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. If you forget to sign the return envelope, your ballot might be rejected.

ID required to register to vote online

ID required for same day registration

Local election office

Contact your local election office if you have questions.

Statewide election office

This is the statewide agency that is ultimately responsible for California elections. You can contact them with questions, but your local election office will probably respond faster.

Secretary of State Elections Division 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814

External resources

California online voter registration
California voter status lookup
California absentee ballot tracker
California polling place locator

References

California early voting information
California absentee ballot information
California voter registration information
California voter ID information
California student voter information
California voting rights restoration for voters with felony convictions
California election code