California Voter Guide

Upcoming Elections

There is a California State Assembly special election on August 31, 2021

There is a special recall election for the Governor of California on September 14, 2021

There are also municipal elections taking place on August 31, 2021 and November 2, 2021

Election Rules

Voter Registration Deadline: 15 days before Election Day in-person, online, or by mail

Some counties in California offer in-person early voting, and all registered voters will receive a mail-in ballot. Many counties are updating their early voting and ballot drop box locations, so contact your county elections office to find out more. You can look up your county elections office here.

California’s Safe at Home program provides confidential voter registration to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and elder or dependent abuse, as well as to reproductive healthcare workers. Learn more here.

Restoration of Voting Rights After Felony Convictions: The right to vote is automatically restored for felons after the completion of their parole or probation. As of 2016, felons housed in county jails can vote while incarcerated.

ID Requirements for Voting: An ID is only required for first time voters.

Ranked Choice Voting: Some cities in California, such as San Francisco and Oakland, use ranked choice voting for elections for local offices.

Time Off to Vote Law: Employees are eligible for time off to vote, up to two hours paid, if they do not have sufficient time to vote during working hours. Learn more here.

Absentee Voting: Mail-in ballots will automatically be sent to all registered voters for the 2020 General Elections. Anyone can apply for a vote-by-mail ballot, no excuse is required. You can also apply to be a permanent vote-by-mail voter. The application can be downloaded online or obtained from your county elections office and must be submitted at least 7 days before the election. The ballot must be dropped off or postmarked by Election Day. Download the application here.

Gender Gaps in Representation

California is one of six states to be represented by two women in the Senate. California ranks 18th in the country for the representation of women in the State Legislature.

Voter Turnout

California had lower turnout than the United States overall in the 2016 Presidential Elections for men and women.

Percent Voter Turnout by Gender

Percent Voter Turnout by Race

Other races not shown due to population size