By: Marianne Chan | Voting |
Pre-registration ensures that eligible voters are automatically registered to vote once they turn 18, whereas registration allows people above the age of 18 to vote.
So, what exactly does the pre-registration process entail?
First, let’s look at the eligibility requirements for pre-registration: you must be 16 or 17 years of age, a United States citizen and California resident, not serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not deemed mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
To pre-register, you need to complete a voter registration application either on paper or online. Paper applications can be picked up at county elections offices, DMV offices, and various post offices, public libraries, and government offices. They can also be found at local high schools or mailed to you, provided that you call the county elections office or the Secretary of State’s toll-free voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE.
Alternatively, you can navigate to the California secretary of state’s website and fill out the online application there. Upon completion, the application system will search the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) database for your California driver license or identification card number, date of birth, and last four digits of your social security number.
After the application has been received and processed, you will receive a postcard from the county elections office informing you of the fact. You will also receive another postcard stating that your voter registration has been activated after turning 18.
Eligibility requirements for registration are almost identical to that of pre-registration, save for one: you must be 18 years old or older on Election Day. Additionally, Californians must be registered at least 15 days before Election Day to vote, but if the registration deadline for an upcoming election has passed, you can typically visit your county elections office, vote centers, or satellite offices designated by your county elections official during the 14 days prior to, and including Election Day, to “conditionally” register to vote and vote a provisional ballot. This is known as Same Day Voter Registration.
To register online, go to the same application for pre-registration and check the box for ‘I am 18 and older’ when filling out the form. To register on paper, pick up an application at your county elections office, library, DMV offices, or U.S. post offices. Fill out your voter registration application completely and postmark or hand-deliver it to your county elections office at least 15 days before the election. To request a paper voter registration application be mailed to you, call (800) 345-VOTE(8683) or email Elections Division staff.
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