As a Californian living away from home while attending a college, trade school or technical school, you may choose to register to vote using your home away from home address you use while at school or your traditional home address.
Choosing which address to use when you register to vote is a personal decision. Whatever you decide, you may not register to vote in two places during the same election cycle.
Voting While Living Abroad
If you are a student living temporarily outside the United States, you can register to vote using the Federal Post Card Application or by using the California Online Voter Registration system.
Californians must be registered to vote at least 15 days before Election Day. If the registration deadline has passed for an upcoming election, you may be able to conditionally register to vote. This process is called Same Day Voter Registration.
Voting By Mail or at The Polls
All active, registered California voters will be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot ahead of Election Day.
If you prefer to vote at the polls on Election Day, your local polling location address can be found on the back of the county voter information guide you receive by mail from your county elections official. You can also look up your polling location or call the Secretary of State's toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).
For more information on what you can expect when visiting your polling location, see Where and How to Vote on the Secretary of State’s New Voters page.
