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Voter Registration & Participation Registering to Vote You may register to vote in California if:
How You Can Register to Vote
If you are a U.S. citizen and are going to be overseas, or if you are in the military and wish to vote by mail, there are special provisions for you to register and receive an overseas ballot (referred to as a absentee ballot under federal law). 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.
Many times, overseas military voters, their overseas spouses and dependents, and other registered voters living abroad have a difficult time obtaining, voting, and returning their ballots by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Under the law, a request for a vote-by-mail ballot from an overseas voter will register that voter as a permanent vote-by-mail voter. You will need to re-register to vote when:
As a California voter, you should be aware that in some areas, local elections are held on dates that do not coincide with statewide election dates. 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, contact your county elections office.
Voter Registration Deadlines
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!
Voter Registration Drives
Anyone distributing voter registration cards in California should be familiar with the rules and regulations for conducting voter registration drives. For information, please read the Secretary of State's Guide to Voter Registration.
Statement of Distribution Form for Voter Registration Cards
Anyone requesting 50 or more voter registration cards from the Secretary of State must complete and submit a Statement of Distribution Form and a plan of distribution to the Secretary of State. The statement and plan of distribution can be mailed or faxed to:
Elections Division 1500 11th Street, 5th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Fax: (916) 653-3214
Report of Registration
The Secretary of State is responsible for producing a statistical report detailing voter registration numbers in California several times per year. To view these reports, please go to Report of Registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is more information about voting in California.
Additional Assistance
For additional assistance with voter registration, please contact the Secretary of State's office at the following toll-free numbers:
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