Election information from the California Secretary of State

March 29, 2022March 29, 2022 swilliams

How do I register to vote?
To register to vote in California, you must be:

A United States citizen and a resident of California;
18 years old or older on Election Day;
Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony; and
Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.

If you are eligible, you can register to vote or update your registration online at registertovote.ca.gov. If you would like to fill out a physical form, voter registration applications can be found at post offices and libraries.

You must re-register to vote if you move, change your name, or change your political party preference.

Can I pre-register to vote in California?
Yes, to pre-register to vote in California, you must:

Be 16 or 17 years old; and
Meet all the other eligibility requirements to vote.
After pre-registering, you will automatically be registered to vote on your 18th birthday. Go to registertovote.ca.gov to pre-register to vote.

What if I need to check my voter registration status?
To check your voter registration status – including political party – you can use the “My Voter Status” tool at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. You can also call our Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683) for your status.

What if I need voter information in a different language?
Statewide voter information is available in 10 languages. Visit www.sos.ca.gov/election/votingcalifornia. Contact your county elections official to see what languages local information may be available in.

What if I miss the voter registration deadline?
If you miss the deadline to register to vote 15 days before an election, you can still go to your county elections office, vote center, or polling place on or before Election Day to complete the conditional voter registration process (often referred to as “Same Day Voter Registration”). You will have to fill out a voter registration card and will be given a ballot. Once county elections officials have verified your voter registration, your vote will be counted. Contact your county elections official for more information or visit vote.ca.gov.

When will I receive my voter guide?
Registered voters will receive, by mail, their non- partisan state Voter Information Guide from the Secretary of State’s office a few weeks before Election Day. The state Voter Information Guide will also be available online at voterguide.sos.ca.gov. County elections offices will also mail a county Voter Information Guide to voters. County voter guides will include information about where and how to vote as well as a sample ballot.

When will I receive my ballot?
County elections officials will mail vote-by-mail ballots to all active registered voters for every election, if they have registered before the voter registration deadline. For the June 7, 2022 Primary Election, counties will begin mailing ballots by May 9, 2022.

Can I track my vote-by-mail ballot?
Yes! Where’s My Ballot? allows voters to track and receive notifications on the status of their vote-by- mail ballot. Sign up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov to receive automatic email, SMS (text), or voice call notifications about your ballot.

What will be on my ballot for the June 7, 2022 Primary Election?
The Primary Election ballot will include these offices: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Member, State Board of Equalization, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, U.S. Representative in Congress, State Senator and State Assembly Member .

The ballot will also contain two election contests for U.S. Senate: the regularly scheduled election for the full 6-year term (starting Jan. 3, 2023) and a special election for the remainder of the current term (starting in November 2022, after the General Election). You may vote on both elections. In addition, your bal- lot may contain local contests.

What if I need a replacement ballot or need an emergency ballot?
If you did not receive your vote-by-mail ballot or you have lost or destroyed your original vote-by-mail ballot, and you are unable to vote in person at the polls, you may apply in writing for a late vote-by-mail ballot. This application will need to be provided in person to the county elections official by you or your representative. The late vote-by-mail ballot application can be found at elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/vote-by-mail/pdf/late- vote-by-mail-application.pdf.

How can I return my vote-by-mail ballot?
You may return your vote-by-mail ballot by:

Mailing it to your county elections official (must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day); Dropping your ballot into one of your county’s ballot drop boxes, or at a ballot drop-off location, ballot drop box, or a polling location anywhere in the state; or asking someone you trust to return your ballot for you, as long as they do not get paid on a per ballot basis.

To find your polling place, text ‘VOTE’ TO ‘GOVOTE’ (468-683.

How early can I vote?
Your county may offer early voting locations before Election Day. For a list go to vote.ca.gov. For the June 7, 2022, Primary Election, ballots will be mailed to every active Californian voter by May 9, 2022. To ensure your vote-by-mail ballot is counted, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day.

How do I find my polling place or vote center?

Check the back of your county Voter Information Guide for your polling place, vote centers, or ballot drop-off locations
Contact your county elections office
Call the Secretary of State’s Voter Hotline (800) 345- VOTE (8683) or visit voterstatus.sos.ca.gov
Text ‘VOTE’ to ‘GOVOTE’ (468-683)

Is my vote secure?
Yes, California exceeds Federal requirements for election security. Every vote must be cast on a paper ballot or have a voter verified paper audit trail. Voting equipment used to cast and count ballots must be certified for use in California and kept offline. Elections officials conduct post-election audits, including a manual tally of a sample of ballots, after every election to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the vote count. Voters can find official, trusted election information as well as learn more about our election security safeguards, and cybersecurity efforts at vote.ca.gov.

How do I find out if my ballot has been counted?
You can go to “My Voter Status” to find out if your vote was counted and if not, why not at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.