2026 California general election: ‘Same day’ voter registration
The last day to register to vote online for the Nov. 3 general election was Oct. 19. You still can register to vote, however, through the “same day” voter registration process.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who can register to vote in California?
You must be a United States citizen and a California resident, 18 years or older on election day, not serving a state or federal prison term for a felony and not deemed mentally incompetent by a court.
How to register via the ‘same day’ voter registration process
If you missed the registration deadline, you can register as a conditional voter through the same-day voter registration process.
Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process at county elections offices, polling places or vote centers.
You’ll need to re-register to vote if you’ve changed your:
- name
- residence address or mailing address
- political party
If you’ve become a U.S. citizen fewer than 15 days before the election, you may register to vote by visiting your county elections office anytime before the polls close on election day. You must bring proof that you are a U.S. citizen and sign a form saying you are eligible to vote in California.
For more information, contact your county elections office; a complete list of contact information for each county office can be found here.
What documentation will I need to complete the registration process?
The application requires a state driver’s license or California identification card number, or you can use the last four numbers on your Social Security card.
If you don’t have any of those, you still can register. You’ll be assigned a unique identifier to validate your registration.
Here’s how that information is verified:
- California ID numbers are matched with Department of Motor Vehicles records.
- Social Security numbers are matched with Social Security Administration records.
- Unique identifiers are verified by election officials.
What if I need a guide or voting instructions in another language?
Voters can choose to get election information in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai or Vietnamese by calling the phone numbers listed here or by using these online options to get help.
Where can I complete the ‘same day’ voter registration process?
You can visit an early voting location. Now through Nov. 2, in-person voting centers are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk’s office.
You also can complete the same-day voter registration process on election day. All polling locations are open on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
What’s a provisional ballot and when will my vote be counted?
With same-day registration, you are “conditionally” registered to vote and your ballot is provisional.
The provisional ballot is a regular ballot that is placed in a special envelope prior to being put in the ballot box.
This just means that elections officials must confirm that you are registered to vote in that county and that you did not already vote in that election. After that information is confirmed, your ballot will be processed and counted.