State of California Voting Requirements & Information

Statewide Voter Information

 

U.S. Domestic Voters

None on Record

Registration

You can register to vote or update your registration information:

  • online
  • by mail
  • in person at your elections office

Election Day Voting

Polling places are open from 7am to 8pm on Election Day. Certain elections, such as stand-alone municipal elections, are conducted entirely by-mail.

Find my polling place

Early Voting

Any registered voter can go to a county elections office in person to receive a vote-by-mail ballot to vote prior to and on Election Day. Some counties also offer in-person voting at vote centers and other locations before Election Day.

Absentee Voting

Any registered voter may request a mail ballot and vote by mail. California offers permanent vote-by-mail status for any registered voter.

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 have been legally declared "mentally incompetent" by a court
  • You are in prison or detention or jail or penal institution
  • You are on parole for a felony conviction or convicted of a felony
For further information, please see US Vote's [California Ex-offender and Misdemeanor Voting Rights](https://www.usvotefoundation.org/ex-off-voting-rights/california/) page.

You may preregister to vote in California

  • At the age 16

Student Eligibility

If you are a student, you are eligible to vote in California if:

  • You reside in California but are attending college in another state
  • You reside in another state but attend college in California

Voter Registration

To register to vote in California you should provide:

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

  • 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
  • Public Transportation Authority Senior Discounted Fare ID Card
  • 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.

Domestic Voter

 In-Person Mail Fax Email Online

Voter Registration

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Absentee Ballot Request

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Blank Ballot To Voter

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Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

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Overseas & Military Voters

None on Record

Overseas Voters

U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:

  • Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.

Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.

Military Voters

Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.

  • If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.

To vote as a service member or eligible family member:

  • Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.

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:

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

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:

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

Overseas Voter

 In-Person Mail Fax Email Online

Voter Registration

 - -

Absentee Ballot Request

 -

Blank Ballot To Voter

 -

Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

 - - -
Your faxed ballot must include a signed oath waiving your right to cast the ballot secretly. Some California counties will allow you to download an online ballot. Once you register as a special absentee voter, you will continue to receive a ballot and election materials from your county elections official before each statewide election. However, you will need to re-register to vote if you change your address, your name or your political party preference, or if you do not participate in four consecutive general elections See http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/mov/mov-other-useful-info-resources.htm for more information

Military Voter

 In-Person Mail Fax Email Online

Voter Registration

 - -

Absentee Ballot Request

 -

Blank Ballot To Voter

 -

Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

 - - -
Your faxed ballot must include a signed oath waiving your right to cast the ballot secretly. Some California counties will allow you to download an online ballot. Once you register as a special absentee voter, you will continue to receive a ballot and election materials from your county elections official before each statewide election. However, you will need to re-register to vote if you change your address, your name or your political party preference, or if you do not participate in four consecutive general elections See http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/mov/mov-other-useful-info-resources.htm for more information

 

Register to Vote   Request Absentee Ballot