Every active, registered voter in participating counties is mailed a ballot 28 days before Election Day.
Voters have three ways to return their vote-by-mail ballots:
Vote centers replace traditional polling centers. Voters have the freedom to cast a ballot in-person at any vote center in their county instead of being assigned to a single polling location. Vote centers look and feel like polling places, but provide additional modern features to make voting easy and convenient.
VOTE CENTER LOCATIONS PDF UBICACIONES DE LOS CENTROS DE VOTACIÓN PDF Vote Centers MAP
At any vote center in a participating county, a voter may:
Starting 10 days before the Election and through the Friday before Election Day, one vote center is required for every 50,000 registered voters. On Election Day and the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday leading up to Election Day, one vote center is required for every 10,000 registered voters.
Ballot drop-off locations provide voters with an additional way to return their ballot, postage-free.
Starting 28 days before Election Day, there is at least one drop-off location for every 15,000 registered voters.
To use the online voter registration system you must have a current and valid driver’s license, learner’s permit or non-driver photo identification card issued by the CA Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If the voter does not have a signature on file with DMV, they must print the application, sign the paper copy, and mail it to their county elections official.
Paper forms can be found at county elections offices, libraries, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, or U.S. post offices. Voters can request paper voter registration applications be mailed to them by calling (800) 345-VOTE(8683) or emailing Elections Division staff through the online form.
Refer to the box below for information about ID requirements.
Choosing a political party
You may choose a political party affiliation when you register, but it is not required. No Party Preference (NPP) voters get a “non-partisan” ballot in presidential primary elections. (See more in “Primaries vs. general elections” box.)
To update registration after a move, name change, or change of political party affiliation use My Voter Status
County elections offices maintain the voter rolls. To cancel registration, the voter completes the California Voter Registration Cancellation Request Form (PDF) and submits it to their county elections office.
For online voter registration, a California driver license or state ID, the last four digits of the voter’s social security information, and the voter’s date of birth is required.
Voters who are enrolled in California's confidential address program, Safe At Home, please do not apply to register to vote using the above site. Contact the Safe At Home program toll-free at (877) 322-5227 or by the Safe At Home email form.
To register with a paper voter registration application, voters can pick one up at their county elections office, library, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, or U.S. post office. It is important that the voter registration application be filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to your county elections office at least 15 days before the election.
To request a paper voter registration application be mailed to you, please call (800) 345-VOTE(8683) or email Elections Division staff through their form.
In most cases, voters, including first-time voters are not required to show ID, however, it is a good idea for first time voters to bring ID. In particular, “[a] poll worker may ask to see your identification if you mailed your voter registration application and did not include your driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.” Acceptable ID includes photo ID such as “passport, driver license, official California identification card, or student identification card” OR “A copy of a recent utility bill, the county Voter Information Guide you received from your county elections office, or another document sent to you by a government agency”
In most other cases, voters are not required to show ID at the polling place.
Department of Motor Vehicles
If an applicant for a driver’s license or ID card is eligible to vote in California, they will be registered to vote automatically, unless they opt out.
Obtaining a Driver’s License
2420 Mariposa Street, Fresno, California
93721. (559) 600-READ (7323)
Last updated
December 14, 2021
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