California | Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 15 days before Election Day
Conditional voter registration is also available to eligible citizens who miss the registration deadline. For more information, visit: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/.
2020
General Election Registration Deadline: October 19
General Election: November 3
Official Election Websites
More election information at www.sos.ca.gov/elections
Online voter registration available at registertovote.ca.gov
Register at School or Home
Students have a choice about where to register to vote.
Students attending college may register at their campus address or choose to remain registered or register at their permanent or home address.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
You do not need to provide an ID to vote in California. For first time voters who did not provide a driver’s license number, state-issued ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security Number on their registration application, the Secretary of State’s office recommends bringing ID with you when you go to vote. Such ID can include, but is not limited to:
A California driver’s license
A California identification card
Student ID
U.S. passport
A copy of a recent utility bill
The county Voter Information Guide sent to you by your county elections office
Another document sent to you by a government agency
Find a full list of acceptable IDs at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/hava-id-standards/.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
You do not need to provide an ID to vote in California. For first time voters who did not provide a driver’s license number, state-issued ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number on their registration application, the Secretary of State’s office recommends bringing ID with you when you go to vote. Such ID can include, but is not limited to:
A California driver’s license
A California identification card
Student ID
U.S. passport
A copy of a recent utility bill
The county Voter Information Guide sent to you by your county elections office
Another document sent to you by a government agency
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Check your voter registration and absentee ballot status, look up your voting site and hours at: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place
How Can I Vote?
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all registered California voters will be mailed an absentee ballot. You do not need to apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed.
Secure drop boxes will be placed in each county as an option for returning an absentee ballot.
If returning by mail, your ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and must be received by the 17th day following Election Day.
Some counties will have vote centers open starting at least four days (October 31) before Election Day.
Find more information about drop box locations and vote center dates, hours, and locations at https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/.
By Mail
Any registered voter may vote by mail in California without an excuse. In most counties, to vote by mail you must fill out and sign a Vote-By-Mail Ballot Application. Applications for a mail-in ballot must be received by your county election official no later than seven days before Election Day.
You can find a Vote-By-Mail Ballot Application in your county Voter Information Guide. A downloadable version is also available at https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/vote-by-mail/pdf/vote-by-mail-application.pdf.
Track your absentee ballot at https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/.
Note: Some counties automatically mail voters their ballots before Election Day. Contact your county election officials to determine if your county uses this procedure.
Completed vote-by-mail ballots must be returned in person by the close of polls on Election Day or, if mailed, postmarked on or before Election Day and received within three days of the election.
Early In-Person
Some counties permit voters to cast their ballots in person before Election Day. You may wish to contact your county election officials to determine if your county offers early in-person voting. Contact information for county election official is available at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices.
Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time, then you have a right to vote.
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community
Will registering to vote in California affect my driver’s license or car registration?
Registering to vote in California does not necessarily change your driver’s license and motor vehicle registration. However, as a full–time student in California, you may have to make these changes regardless of whether you register to vote in California. For more information, you may wish to contact the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed California professional.
Last updated September 2020
