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Land poll opening and closing times
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
Recount laws
Ballot access for major and minor party candidates

Select a state from the menu below to learn more than.

The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the atmospheric condition nether which American citizens cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in California:

  • Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
  • In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
  • Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
  • Details nigh convicted felons' voting rights.
  • Contact information election agencies.
  • Summaries of noteworthy policy-related events.

See Election administration in California for more additional information about ballot administration in the country, including voter list maintenance policies, conditional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.

Voter registration

The tabular array below displays voter registration information specific to California's 2022 master election.

Voter registration in California
Registration URL Link
Registration status URL Link
Registration update URL Link
In-person registration deadline May 23, 2022
Mail registration deadline May 23, 2022
Mail postmark or receipt borderline Postmarked
Online registration borderline May 23, 2022
Aforementioned-day registration Yes
Early voting same-day registration Yep

Eligibility and registration details

To vote in California, an individual must be a U.Due south. citizen and California resident. A voter must be at to the lowest degree 18 years of age on Election Day. Conditional voter registration is available beginning fourteen days before an ballot through Election Day.[i]

On October ten, 2015, California Governor Jerry Dark-brown (D) signed into law Assembly Neb No. 1461, also known as the New Motor Voter Act. The legislation, which took event in 2016, authorized automatic voter registration in California for any individuals who visit the Department of Motor Vehicles to learn or renew a driver'south license.[two] [3]

In-person voting

The table beneath displays in-person voting information specific to California's 2022 chief election.

In-person voting in California
All voters required to show ID Northward/A
ID types N/A
ID source URL Link
Early on voting start date Due north/A
Early on voting cease date June 6, 2022
Weekend voting? Due north/A
Early voting source URL North/A
Election Day poll times 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Poll times

See too: State poll opening and closing times

All polls in California are open from 7:00 a.m. to eight:00 p.k. Pacific Fourth dimension. An private who is in line at the fourth dimension polls close must be allowed to vote.[iv]

Voter identification

Run into likewise: Voter identification laws by state

California does not require voters to present photo identification. However, some voters may be asked to show a form of identification when voting if they are voting for the starting time fourth dimension after registering to vote by mail and did not provide a driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number.[5] [half dozen]

The following listing of accepted ID was current as of November 2019. Click hither for the California Secretarial assistant of Land folio, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," to ensure you have the near current data.

  • Copy of a recent utility bill
  • Sample election booklet sent from the county elections office to the voter
  • Document sent to the voter by a authorities agency
  • Passport
  • Driver'southward license
  • Official state identification bill of fare
  • Student identification that includes name and photograph

Early voting

Encounter as well: Early voting

California permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Absentee/mail-in voting

Encounter also: Absentee/mail-in voting

The table below displays absentee voting information specific to California'due south 2022 primary election.

Absentee voting in California
Are there limits on who tin can request a ballot? North/A
Mail request deadline May 31, 2022
Request postmark or receipt deadline Received
Mail return deadline June 7, 2022
Return postmark or receipt borderline Postmarked
Notary/witness requirements North/A

California provides for universal, automatic mail-in voting in all elections. Local election officials automatically evangelize mail-in ballots to all registered voters . Land constabulary does not preclude voters from choosing instead to cast their ballots in person.[7]

Convicted felons' voting rights

Come across also: Voting rights for convicted felons

In California, individuals convicted of a felony take their right to vote automatically restored once they accept completed prison time and parole. Individuals serving sentences in country or federal prisons cannot vote, while those in county jail as a condition of probation and those serving a felony jail sentence retain the right to vote as of 2016.[8]

Voting rights for bedevilled felons vary from state to state. In the majority of states, convicted felons cannot vote while they are incarcerated only may regain the right to vote upon release from prison house or at some point thereafter.[9] [10]

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Ballot Assistance Committee

See as well: Land election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information almost voting provisions in California tin can contact the following country and federal agencies.

California Secretary of State:

1500 11th Street, 5th Flooring
Sacramento, California 95814
Telephone: 916-657-2166
Fax: 916-653-3214
http://www.sos.ca.gov/

U.South. Election Assistance Committee

1335 East Due west Highway, Suite 4300
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Telephone: 866-747-1471

Noteworthy events

2021

On September 27, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed AB37 into law, providing for universal, automated postal service-in voting in all time to come elections in California. Under the law as enacted, local election officials must automatically mail every registered voter a mail-in ballot. In addition, AB37 modified the mail-in ballot return borderline: ballots are considered "timely cast" if voted on or before Election Day and, when delivered by mail, received by election officials no after than seven days afterward Election Day (previously, the receipt borderline for ballots returned by mail was three days after Election Day). The law does non preclude voters from choosing instead to cast their ballots in person.[seven]

On September 2, 2021, the California Land Senate approved the final version of AB37 by a vote of xxx-seven. On September 3, 2021, the California State Associates followed arrange, voting lx-17 in favor of the bill.[7]

In response to the bill's signing, Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D) said, "Voters similar having options for returning their ballot whether past mail, at a secure drop box, a voting center or at a traditional polling station. And the more people who participate in elections, the stronger our commonwealth and the more we have assurance that elections reflect the will of the people of California." Meanwhile, California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson said, "Information technology'southward no secret that Democrats accept and volition continue to try to manipulate election regulations for their political advantage. Republicans volition concur them accountable through our ballot integrity operations – including litigation, where appropriate – and by recruiting and supporting candidates who volition provide solutions to California's numerous challenges."[11]

Click here for the full text of the bill.

Recent news

The link below is to the near recent stories in a Google news search for the terms California voting. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Ballotpedia's election coverage

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  • Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2022
  • Republican Political party Chaser General primaries, 2022
  • State legislative Republican primaries, 2022

Come across too

  • Election administration in California

Elections in California

  • California elections, 2022
  • California elections, 2021
  • California elections, 2020
  • California elections, 2019
  • California elections, 2018

External links

  • Official state election website

Footnotes

  1. California Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed October 6, 2019
  2. The Los Angeles Times, "Gov. Brownish approves automatic voter registration for Californians," October x, 2015
  3. The Sacramento Bee, "California voter law could register millions–for a start," October 20, 2015
  4. California Secretarial assistant of State, "Section 2: Polling Place Hours," accessed Oct 17, 2019
  5. California Secretary of State, "What to Bring to Your Polling Place," accessed November 20, 2019
  6. BARCLAYS OFFICIAL CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS, "Section 20107," accessed Nov xx, 2019
  7. 7.0 vii.1 7.2 California Legislative Information, "AB-37 Elections: vote past post ballots," accessed October 5, 2021
  8. Alex Padilla California Secretary of State, "Voting Rights: Persons with a Criminal History," accessed Oct 16, 2019
  9. National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," accessed July 15, 2014
  10. American Civil Liberties Union, "State Criminal Re-enfranchisement Laws," accessed September 13, 2019
  11. The Sacramento Bee, "California is at present permanently a vote-past-postal service state as Gavin Newsom signs bill," September 27, 2021