Question 1

Who can vote in California?

Accepted Answer

You can register to vote in California if you are a U.S. citizen, a resident of California, at least 18 years old on Election Day, and meet additional voting eligibility criteria.(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california/who-can-vote-california/)

If you are a Naturalized citizen, you have all the rights of U.S. citizenship, including the right to vote in elections at the federal, state, and local levels.

You cannot vote if you are serving a state or federal prison term for a felony conviction, but you may vote if you are on parole or on probation. Get the facts about California voting rights for persons with a criminal history here.(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california/who-can-vote-california/voting-rights-californians/)

Question 2

Am I registered to vote in California?

Accepted Answer

Check your voter registration here.(http://acvote.org/mvp) You may need to re-register if you have not voted in several elections. You will need to re-register if you have changed your name, address (permanently), or political party affiliation.

Question 3

How do I register to vote in California?

Accepted Answer

You can register online,(https://registertovote.ca.gov/) or get an application at your County Elections Office,(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/) library, post office, or Department of Motor Vehicles office.

Question 4

Can I pre-register to vote at age 16 or 17 in California?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you meet these criteria to pre-register to vote.(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/pre-register-16-vote-18/) Upon turning 18, you will be automatically registered to vote.

Question 5

What is the deadline to register to vote in California?

Accepted Answer

The last day to register online to vote in any California Election is 15 days prior. The last day to register online for these elections are as follows.

• The Nov 4th 2025 Special Election: Oct 20th, 2025.
 • The Jun 2nd 2026 Primary Election: May 18th, 2026.
 • The Nov 3rd 2026 General Election: Oct 19, 2026.

If you miss the deadline, you can complete a conditional voter registration, which is also called Same Day Voter Registration.  Go to your County Elections Office (https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/)to cast a provisional ballot.

Question 6

How do I choose a political party or change it?

Accepted Answer

The League provides non-partisan information on the major U.S. political parties, and how to choose one when you register to vote. Get our guide on how to choose a political party.(https://lwvc.org/choose-political-party/)

You do not have to join any political party to vote. If you want to be independent of any political party, this is called No Party Preference, and you only need to mark the "I do not want to register with a political party" on your voter registration form. But this affects who you can vote for in the Presidential Primary. (See related FAQ.)

You can change your political party registration at any time by re-registering to vote, but the deadline to change your party before an election is 15 days prior.

Question 7

Which presidential candidates can I vote for in the Primary?

Accepted Answer

Are you registered to vote with one of these parties: American Independent, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Peace and Freedom, or Republican? If so, you can only vote for one of your party's slate of presidential candidates.

Are you registered to vote with No Party Preference? If so and you take no action, your primary ballot will not list any presidential candidates. However, the American Independent Party, Democratic Party, and Libertarian Party will allow you to vote in their primaries. This is known as "crossover" voting. To request a ballot for one of these parties, contact your County Elections Office.(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/)

Get more info about Primary Elections in California.(https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california)

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serving the City of Alameda

Want to Be a Voter? Let Us Help! Read Our FAQs

Contact Us

Want to Be a Voter? Let Us Help!
Read Our FAQs