Voter registration 101

Deadline: Now and ongoing –

If you thought September 24th’s National Voter Registration Day didn’t apply to you, think again! When’s the last time you checked your voter registration? And are you certain all of your eligible family and friends are registered? Now is the time to make sure! 

California election dates you need to know:

• The California Presidential Primary is March 3, 2020.
• Voter registration for the Primary: Monday, February 17, 2020 is the deadline to either register online or by which your paper registration form must be postmarked. If you miss the deadline you can conditionally register and vote at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline.
• Vote-by-Mail Ballot Application for the Primary must arrive by February 25, 2020.
• The 2020 Presidential election is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Countdown clock here. We’ll give you plenty of warning about the deadlines for that election after the Primary!

Yes, I want to register to vote:

• Eligible to vote, but not registered? Pick up a paper application, fill it out and put it in the mail – no postage required! You can find paper applications at lots of places, including:
  • county elections offices
  • the DMV
  • government offices
  • post offices
  • public libraries
• Want to register online?
  • You’ll need:
    • your California driver license or ID card number
    • the last four digits of your social security number, and
    • your date of birth.
  • Your info will be provided to the CA Department of Motor Vehicles to retrieve a copy of your DMV signature. 
  • Don’t have one of those IDs, or have other questions? Check the CA Secretary of State’s Election Division FAQ or contact them at 800-345-VOTE (8683) or by email.
• Is your registration accurate? Check! Many voter registrations have errors – check yours.
• Do you need to re-register? Check here, and if you need to, make sure to re-register now. These are some (not all) of the reasons you must re-register to vote:
  • you moved since you last registered
  • you legally changed your name since you last registered
  • you want to change your political party
• Know any 16- or 17-year olds? They may be eligible to pre-register if they’ll be 18 by election time. Check their eligibility and help them pre-register (either online or using the paper form) so they can vote once they turn 18.

• California voter hotlines: the Secretary of State’s office provides voting-related materials and assistance in ten languages. Call one of the toll-free hotlines for answers to your questions about voting and elections, or to request mail delivery of a voter registration form, vote-by-mail application, or the Official Voter Information Guide.
• Learn about your county’s election processes, including the different ways you can vote and much more: Alameda County and Contra Costa County.
• Find out about voting rights for people with criminal histories.
• See Vote.org’s California Election Center. Sign up for election reminders.
• See the Voter’s Edge guide (a partnership of the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund’s Smart Voter and MapLight). It includes in-depth info about what’s on your ballot, plus much more.

Pass on to your family & friends in other states:

• Vote.org offers lots of information, and the url is easy to remember (it requires you to provide an email address).
• When We All Vote is “is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.” By linking to Rock The Vote, they provide specific info about local elections and more.
• Indivisible has partnered with TurboVote to help you sign up to get election reminders, register to vote, apply for your absentee ballot, etc.
• The League of Women Voters’ Education Fund 411.org provides personalized voter information, voting guides, and more.
• The National Association of Secretaries of States’ website helps eligible voters figure out how and where to vote.

“Get Out the Vote” poster by Annette Lange