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Get StartedIn most cases, voters are not required to show identification before casting a ballot in California.
If you are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide your driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your social security number on your registration form, you may be asked to show a form of identification when you go to the polls.
Some forms include:
Polling locations are open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm on Election Day.
Unless you are voting by mail, ballot types vary from county to county. Visit the Office of Voting Systems Technology Assessment site for more information.
If you require your ballot in a different language, many election materials are offered in several languages. Visit the Language Requirements page to learn more about the languages available in each county.
Voters in California may bring writing utensils like pens or sharpies, notes, cell phones, sample ballots, two helpers, and service animals into the voting booth while they cast their ballot.
California restricts the wearing of campaign materials within 100 feet of a polling place. This includes but is not limited to shirts, buttons, and signs.
If you need help marking your ballot, you may choose up to two people to help you. This person cannot be:
Many election materials are offered in several languages. Visit the Language Requirements page to learn more about the languages available in each county. If you need help translating your ballot you may choose up to two people to help you.
California allows for curbside voting, voting at home, and accessible voting machines. Visit California’s Voters with Disabilities page for more information about these voting options. Ask your county elections office about their Accessible Voting Machines. This ensures voters with disabilities can cast their ballot privately and independently.
California residents can register to vote online or by paper application. The application is available in 10 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Deadline: Applications need to be submitted or postmarked at least 15 days before the election.
Californians can visit the My Voter Status website to check their voter registration status. In some counties, you may be able to contact your county election office to check your voter registration status as well.
California voters can change their voter registration at any time, but the deadline to change your registration online is 15 days before the upcoming election. Voters may also change their registration in person prior to the election or during the same-day voter registration process.
For the upcoming 2024 General Election, your voter registration application must be:
If you miss the mail deadline, you can register or re-register to vote at your county elections office, polling place, or voting center up until Election Day.
Yes. If you are unable to register by the voter registration deadline, you may register to vote at a polling place. You will be able to cast your ballot immediately after completing your voter registration.
California residents that fit the following qualifications are eligible to register to vote:
California gives voters the option to choose a political party when registering to vote. It is not required to register, but choosing “no party preference” could limit your ability to participate in presidential primary elections.
In California, every active registered voter is eligible to receive a mail ballot.
Yes, California permanently instated the automatic vote-by-mail system in January 2022.
All registered voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot - there’s no need to specifically request it. Election authorities will start mailing ballots by October 7, 2024. Once you complete your ballot, you can return it in person or by mail. When the ballot is received by the county elections official, the signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature in the voter’s registration record for verification.
If you’re temporarily away, you can request that your ballot be mailed to a different address. You can do this by:
Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions to mark your choices for each office or measure. Fill out any required information on the envelope, which may include name, address, and signature.
Yes. If you need help completing your mail ballot, a friend, family member, or someone else you trust can help you fill out your ballot. If someone does assist you, they’ll need to write their name, address, and signature on the ballot.
Drop-off sites for ballots will be available starting October 8, 2024. You have the option to return your vote-by-mail ballot through the mail, at any designated drop-off point, or directly to your local county elections office. You can also bring your ballot to any polling place within the state on Election Day.
In California, it’s possible to designate a person who may return the ballot for you. You have to complete the authorization section on your ballot envelope. It’s also important to note that this person must not be paid for the service of delivering your ballot.
Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by November 12, 2024. If you’re delivering your ballot to a drop-off location or to an Election Day polling place, you must deliver it by the close of polls on Election Day, which is 8 pm.
This page on the California Secretary of State website will be updated with the locations where you can drop off your ballot. County elections officials are required to publicly announce the locations of drop-off locations and drop boxes at least 30 days prior to the election. You may also go to your county elections office to drop off your ballot.
No. In California, the ballot envelope has prepaid postage, so there’s no need to place stamps on the envelope.
Your mail ballot may be tracked while it’s being mailed out to you and when you mail it back to the county election office. Visit the “Where’s My Ballot?” website offered by the state of California to track the status of your ballot.
If your mail ballot is rejected, you may find out via a mail notification, phone, or email, depending on the contact information you included in your voter registration form. Take the steps outlined in the notification to correct your ballot, such as providing a new signature.
If you sign up for ballot tracking at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov, you will receive updates on the status of your vote-by-mail ballot, including if the ballot was rejected. If you need further assistance or clarification, reach out to your local elections office.
All California voters are eligible to vote early. Every active, registered voter in California will be mailed a ballot for the California General Election on November 5, 2024.
County elections officials offer early voting at their office, and many counties offer early voting at additional locations before Election Day.
To locate an early voting or ballot drop-off location near you, visit California’s early voting information page or contact your county elections office.
Vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning on October 26, 2024.
In California, you may be considered an overseas or military voter when you’re not present in the county in which you are registered to vote, and you fall under one of the following criteria:
To receive a mail ballot while overseas or serving in the military, you can register to vote through California’s standard online voter registration portal or fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). You’ll then automatically receive your ballot as other California voters do. You can receive the ballot by mail, email, or fax. The ballot will be sent out between 45 and 60 days before the election.
You will continue to receive ballots for future elections at the address you listed on your voter registration. However, you should re-register to vote if you change your name, mailing address, or party affiliation.
Any overseas or military voter may mail back their ballot. You may also fax your ballot under certain circumstances, which are listed on this page.
For approved overseas or military voters, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received by November 12, 2024. Be sure to leave enough time for the ballot to be mailed from your location to be received by the 12th.
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View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.