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In California, the deadline to register to vote for any election is 15 days before Election Day, so please register early!

Voter Registration Deadlines for Upcoming Elections
Election Date Your registration must be postmarked or submitted electronically no later than:
November 4, 2025 October 20, 2025
June 2, 2026 May 18, 2026

You can apply to register to vote right now by filling in the online application. The application is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese. If you have any questions, visit Frequently Asked Questions or contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (800) 345-VOTE (8683) or by email.

If you are enrolled in California's confidential address program, Safe At Home, please do not apply to register to vote using this site. Contact the Safe At Home program toll-free at (877) 322-5227 or by the Safe At Home email.

Qualifications to Register to Vote

To register to vote in California, you must be:

Qualifications to Pre-register to Vote

To pre-register to vote in California, you must:

  • Be 16 or 17 years old, and
  • Meet all of the other eligibility requirements to vote.

You will automatically be registered to vote on your 18th birthday.

To Obtain a Paper Voter Registration Application

If you would like to register using a paper voter registration application, you can pick one up at your county elections office, library, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, or U.S. post office. It is important that your 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.

How to Fill Out a California Voter Registration Card (PDF)

Completing the California Voter Registration Card

Both federal law and state law require the applicant to check a box on the affidavit of registration to indicate that they are a U.S. citizen. If an applicant has not checked the "Yes" box to indicate U.S. citizenship and instead left the U.S. citizenship check box blank, the affidavit of registration will not be accepted. Elections Code section 2111 states that an affidavit of registration is proof of citizenship for voting purposes only; it cannot be used to prove citizenship for any other purpose.

Completing the California Voter Registration Card (ASL)

Voter Registration Identification Requirements

You must provide:

  • A California Driver's License or state ID number, or
  • The last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN) (if you do not have a CA ID).

If you don't have either, you can still register. You'll be assigned a unique identifier to validate your registration.

All numbers are securely verified:

  • CA ID numbers are matched with DMV records.
  • SSNs are matched with Social Security Administration records.
  • Unique identifiers are verified by election officials.

Voting for the First Time

Do I need to show ID to vote In California?

In most cases, NO. California does not generally require voters to show identification at the polls. You may need to show ID only if ALL of the following apply:

  • You're voting for the first time in a federal election.
  • You registered by mail or online, and
  • You did not provide your CA ID or SSN when registering.

What forms of ID are acceptable (if required)?

You can show photo or non-photo ID, including:

  • California Driver's License or State ID card.
  • U.S. Passport
  • Student or Military ID
  • Utility Bill
  • Bank Statement
  • Paycheck or Government Check
  • Official mail from a government agency (e.g., sample ballot booklet).

Poll workers may only request ID if the voter list clearly indicates it's required (e.g., a first-time voter who registered by mail without an ID.

For more information on the type of identification to use when you vote for the first time, review the complete list of acceptable forms of identification (PDF), call the Secretary of State's toll-free voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683), or contact your county elections official.

If you are a first-time voter in a federal election and you did not provide this information when you registered, and you plan to:

  • Vote by mail: prior to voting your ballot, send a photocopy of your personal identification to your county elections official. If you do not do this prior to voting, you will be contacted by your county elections official upon receipt of your voted ballot to request the required proof of identity. You must provide an acceptable form of identification to your county elections official before they can open your vote-by-mail ballot return envelope. If your identity cannot be verified, your vote-by-mail ballot return envelope will not be opened and your ballot will not be counted.
  • Vote in person: prior to receiving your ballot at your polling location, you may be asked to provide an acceptable form of identification.

Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)

In elections conducted by your county elections official, you can “conditionally” register and vote at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline. For more information please go to Same Day Voter Registration.

Safe at Home Program

Participants enrolled in the Safe at Home program can register as a confidential voter and keep their voting information private. If you are in fear for your safety, and meet eligibility requirements, you can apply to the Safe at Home program and register as a confidential voter. The deadline to register to vote for the November 4, 2025 election is October 20, 2025. If you miss the deadline, you can still register until Election Day, but you will not be registered as a confidential voter.

Safe at Home participants can call us at 1-877-322-5227 to request a Confidential Voter Registration Card. If you are interested in applying to our program then contact an enrolling agency near you, which can be found on Where to Find an Enrolling Agency(link is on the SAH page). Email Safe at Home at https://www.sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home/contact/email-safe-home.

College Students and Voters Living Abroad

If you are a Californian living away from home while attending a college, trade school or technical school, or a voter living temporarily outside the United States, please see College Students and Voters Living Abroad.

Are You Already Registered to Vote?

To find out if you are currently registered to vote, visit Check Status of Your Voter Registration.

When to Re-Register to Vote

Re-register to vote when:

  • You change your residence address or mailing address,
  • You change your name, or
  • You change your political party choice.

As a California voter, be aware that local elections in some areas 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 or visit County Administered Elections.

California Motor Voter

The California Motor Voter program is making registering to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) more convenient. Eligible applicants completing a driver license, identification (ID) card or change of address transaction online, by mail or in person at the DMV will be automatically registered to vote by the California Secretary of State, unless they choose to opt out of automatic voter registration. For more information, visit California Motor Voter

How to Cancel My Registration

If you are currently registered to vote in California and would like to cancel your voter registration, you can complete the California Voter Registration Cancellation Request Form (PDF) and submit it to your county elections office. If you have any questions, you can contact your county elections office or the Secretary of State's Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).

California Voter Registration Cancellation Request Form (PDF)

Voter Registration Drives

Anyone distributing voter registration cards in California should be familiar with the rules and regulations for conducting voter registration drives.

Voter Registration Statistics

The Secretary of State is responsible for producing a statistical report detailing voter registration numbers in California. To view these reports, please go to Voter Registration Statistics.

Voter Registration Information File Request

Qualified individuals or groups of individuals can apply to access voter registration information. For more information, please go to Voter Registration Information File Request.

Voter Bill of Rights

The law prohibits your voter registration information from being used for commercial purposes. Report any problems to the Secretary of State's Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683). For additional information regarding your voting rights, please go to Voter Bill of Rights.