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AP20:015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 6, 2020
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Secretary of State Alex Padilla Releases Latest Report of Registration; 500,000 California Teens have Pre-Registered since Program Launch
SACRAMENTO, CA – Secretary of State Alex Padilla released the latest statewide Report of Registration ahead of the March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary. As of January 3, 2020, there were 20,428,270 registered voters in California. This is an increase of 3,159,437 registered voters since the last Report of Registration at a similar point in a presidential election cycle (April 8, 2016).
Click here to view the complete statewide Report of Registration.
80.95% of eligible Californians are registered to vote. This is the highest percentage of eligible citizens registered to vote heading into a California Presidential Primary in the past 68 years.
“California entered 2020 with a record 20.4 million registered voters—and I only expect that figure to climb as we reach the Presidential Primary in March and General Election in November,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla. “I’m encouraging all Californians to verify their voter registration status by visiting VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov. If you need to register for the first time or update your registration—including political party—you can do so at RegisterToVote.ca.gov. These steps only take minutes to make sure you are registered and ready to vote.”
The Report of Registration includes:
- Voter registration by political party, by county, city, congressional district, state senate district, state assembly district, and supervisorial district.
- Statewide voter registration by age group by county.
- Historical comparisons to previous reports in presidential primary years.
- Reports on political bodies attempting to qualify as political parties (by county).
Registration Comparison January 3, 2020 Report vs. April 8, 2016 Report
|
Political Party |
#Registered |
% of Total |
# Registered |
% of Total |
Change in % Points |
|
Democratic |
9,109,939 |
44.59% |
7,537,312 |
43.65% |
0.94 |
|
Republican |
4,842,603 |
23.71% |
4,752,293 |
27.52% |
-3.81 |
|
No Party Preference |
5,291,771 |
25.90% |
4,117,885 |
23.85% |
2.05 |
|
American Independent |
600,220 |
2.94% |
474,338 |
2.75% |
0.19 |
|
Green |
89,764 |
0.44% |
93,128 |
0.54% |
-0.10 |
|
Libertarian |
176,065 |
0.86% |
117,327 |
0.68% |
0.18 |
|
Peace and Freedom |
94,016 |
0.46% |
73,440 |
0.43% |
0.03 |
|
Unknown/Other |
223,892 |
1.09% |
103,110 |
0.60% |
0.49 |
Separate Report of Pre-Registration
Secretary Padilla also issued a new report showing more than 500,000 California 16- and 17-year-olds have now taken advantage of voter pre-registration since the program launched in fall 2016. Teens who pre-register to vote have their registration automatically activated when they turn 18. As of February 3, 2020, there were 156,022 pre-registered 16- and 17-year-olds.
Click here for a Breakdown of Pre-Registrants by Political Party by County.
“Whenever I talk to high students it is clear that they care about their communities and democracy,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said. “Pre-registration provides a platform for young people to begin entering the electoral process before they reach 18. I am so proud that pre-registration has now helped over a half million California teens take their first steps into the democratic process. I am challenging California teens, school administrators, and parents to help us add another 100,000 pre-registrations by the November 2020 General Election.”
Eligible 16- and 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
Secretary Padilla has visited 82 high schools to promote pre-registration, taking his message across the state. The Secretary of State’s office has also created web portal, HighSchool.sos.ca.gov with resources for teens to organize their own pre-registration drives on their campus and in their community.
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