FAQs on How to Vote in California

The California primary is taking center stage on June 7. The presidential election is just around the corner on November 8. You may be wondering how to cast your ballot and have your voice heard. The following is a short list of frequently asked questions to help SoCal citizens become a part of the voting electorate.

Am I eligible to vote in California?

If you are a U.S. citizen, 18 years old on or before the election, a resident of California, not currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found to be mentally incompetent by a court of law, then you are eligible to vote in the state of California.

Am I registered to vote in California?

If you’re not sure if you are registered to vote at your current address, you can check online by searching under the California county you currently live in here.

How do I register to vote?

Online voter registration can be found here, at the California Secretary of State’s website.

You can also download a PDF file of the National Mail Voter Registration form here. You can fill it out onscreen and print the completed form, or you can print the blank form and fill it out by hand. Once your form is signed and completed, you can mail it to the location listed for your state.

If you would like to register in person, visit your local California Department of Motor Vehicles office, your nearest state or county public assistance offices. You can also go to any armed services recruitment center to fill out and submit a National Mail Voter Registration Form.

If you are currently living outside the United States, you can find online information on how to register and vote in the upcoming election by visiting the Federal Voting Assistance Program here, or call an international FVAP hotline.

What are the deadlines for voting registration?

In California, the deadline to register to vote in the California Presidential and State Primary Election is May 23.

For the California General Election, the deadline to register to vote is October 24.

How do I find my polling place?

If you live in California go here. Then enter the address that’s on your voter registration form. Voila! Your polling  place will appear including a map and contact info.

When you show up to vote Californians are not required to show any sort of documentation or identification.  However, if it’s your first time, it’s suggested you bring some sort of identification.

What if I can’t vote on Election Day?

If you are unable to vote in-person at your assigned polling place, you can cast your ballot during an assigned early voting period. Contact your local county election office in California, all of which are listed here, and navigate to your local county voting website for more details.

California voters can also request an absentee ballot, or vote-by-mail ballot by clicking here and following the steps listed. Absentee ballots must be requested by May 31, postmarked by June 7, and received by June 10 in order to count during the California primary. For the November 8 general election, absentee ballots must be requested by November 1, postmarked by November 8, and received by November 11.

Can I vote in the California Presidential and State Primary Election if I have ‘no party preference’?

Each political party has the option of allowing ‘no party preference’ voters, or NPP voters, to vote in their presidential primary election. In other words, it’s up to each party.  These parties said you MUST be a registered member of their party to vote for a presidential candidate in the June 7 primary: Republican party, Green party, and the Peace & Freedom.

But you DON’T have to a registered member of these parties to cast a vote for president :  Democratic Party, Libertarian Party, and California’s American Independent Party.

When the general election comes around, you can change party preference.

What if a voter is undecided about party affiliation on June 7?

If you have no party affiliation you can show up at your polling place on June 7. But the only ballot that will be available to you will be from the Democratic, Libertarian or California’s  American Independent Party.

If you are a ‘no party preference’ voter who votes by mail, you must contact your county elections office by May 31 to ask for a new ballot. That ballot will be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Libertarian Party, or California’s American Independent Party. Remember the Republican party, Green party, and the Peace & Freedom don’t allow non-affiliated last-minute voters to use their ballots.

If you choose not to be affiliated with any party, then you will not be able to cast a vote in the presidential primary on June 7. Instead, the nonpartisan ballot will have a blank space where you would normally see the names of presidential candidates.

‘No party preference’ voters will still be able to vote on all other contests, including casting votes for candidates running for seats in the U.S. Senate, the State Legislature, the U.S. House of Representatives, and all other local races.