Who May Register to Vote
You may register to vote if you meet the following criteria:
• 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 conviction of a felony
• You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote

How to Register to Vote

1. Fill-out a Voter Registration Form Online

OR

2. Download and Mail a Voter Registration Form
Please download and complete the form by clicking the link above. Please remember to sign it and MAIL it DIRECTLY to your COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS. For COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE ADDRESSES, please visit: www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_d.htm.

Si desea una solicitud para votar en Espanol haga clic aqui.

3. Overseas Voter Registration and Absentee Voting
If you are a US citizen and are going to be overseas or if you are in the military and wish to vote absentee, there are special provisions for you to register and receive an overseas absentee ballot. To do this you may need to complete a "Federal Post Card Registration and Absentee Ballot Request," and mail it to your local county elections official.

Overseas Absentee Ballot (Federal Post Card and Absentee Ballot Request) click here.

Many times, overseas military voters, their overseas spouses and dependents, and other registered voters residing abroad have a difficult time obtaining, voting, and returning their ballots by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Pursuant to law, effective January 1, 2004, a request for an absentee ballot from an overseas voter will be regarded and processed as a request for permanent absentee status. (Ch. 347, Stats. 2003.)

In addition, this same law states that voters no longer have to re-apply for permanent absentee voter status if they fail to vote in a statewide primary election. These voters will retain their permanent absentee voter (PAV) status and will be automatically sent an absentee ballot to vote in the next general election. However, a permanent absentee voter must vote in the next general election or the voter will lose his or her PAV status.

Please note: There are special requirements for new citizens and new California residents. For further information regarding these requirements, please contact the local elections official in the county in which you are registered to vote.

There are also special provisions for new citizens and new residents within California. For further information about these alternatives, contact the county elections official of the county in which you are registered.

When to Re-Register to Vote
You will need to re-register to vote when:
• You move
• You change your name
• You change your political party affiliation

As a California voter, you should be aware that there are ongoing local elections throughout the state. 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, you will need to contact your local county elections office to confirm the deadline. You can acquire a voter registration form either at your local county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office. It is important that the completed voter registration form has a 15-day deadline postmark on it. It is not the Secretary of State's Office desire to disenfranchise anyone from the voting process.

The Deadline to Register to Vote
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!
Click here for more information on California's 15-day close of registration.

Additional Assistance
For additional assistance with voter registration, please contact the Secretary of State's office at any of the following toll-free numbers:
• English: 1-800-345-VOTE
• Spanish: 1-800-232-VOTA
• Chinese: 1-800-339-2857
• Vietnamese: 1-800-339-8163
• Japanese: 1-800-339-2865
• Tagalog: 1-800-339-2957
• Korean: 1-866-575-1558

Statement of Distribution Form for Voter Registration Cards
Any individual, group or organization requesting 50 or more voter registration cards from the Secretary of State's Office must complete and submit a Statement of Distribution form and a plan of distribution to the Secretary of State. For your convenience, the Statement of Distribution form is now available on-line by clicking on the following link: Statement of Distribution Form.

The statement and plan of distribution can either be mailed or faxed to:
California Secretary of State
Elections Division
1500 11th Street, 5th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 653-3214

Upon receiving a completed request by fax or mail, the Elections Division will process the request within 48 hours. For additional assistance, please contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (916) 657-2166.

Report of Registration
The California Secretary of State is responsible for producing a statistical report detailing voter registration levels throughout California several times per year. To view these reports, please click on Report of Registration.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Voter Registration
Click here for answers to frequently asked questions regarding voter registration.

Copyright 2004 California Secretary of State. Privacy Statement