To vote in statewide elections in California, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen,
• A resident of California,
• At least 18 years old on Election Day, and
• Not currently serving a prison sentence or found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.

Most Californians with a criminal record have the right to vote, including: people who have finished their sentence or are awaiting trial; those who are serving a misdemeanor or felony jail sentence; and those who are on a form of community supervision such as probation or parole. The only time a conviction affects your right to vote is while you are serving a state or federal prison sentence.

Californians who are homeless and meet the eligibility criteria above also have the right to vote. If you are homeless, you may register to vote at a location where you spend most of your time, such as a shelter, park, or cross streets. You can also provide a mailing address, if available, to receive a mailed ballot and other election materials.

There are multiple ways that you can vote in California.

• Mail: All voters with active registrations will automatically be mailed a ballot. Once you complete this ballot, you can return it through USPS in the ballot envelope provided. No postage is required.
• Drop box: You may also return a completed ballot using any official ballot drop box across the state. In many counties, this may be the fastest way to return the ballot you received by mail. Find drop-box and early voting locations here.
• In person: If you prefer or need to vote in-person, voting locations will be open in every county on November 4 from 7 am to 8 pm. Early in-person voting options will also be available starting October 6. Your nearest voting location will be listed on the sample ballot you receive by mail. You can also find your voting location here or on your county elections website.

Remember to sign your ballot envelope before returning it by mail or drop box. Elections officials will compare this signature to the one on your registration before counting your ballot and will contact you if your signature is missing or does not compare. To make sure your ballot counts, please make sure it is postmarked or returned to a drop box by November 3. Sign up for Where’s My Ballot to get updates when your ballot is mailed to you, received, and counted.

If you experience challenges at the polls–including issues with casting your ballot, long lines, or intimidation–call or text 866-OUR-VOTE to speak with a trained election protection volunteer.

Voting materials and in-person voting assistance are available in multiple languages. Add your language preference when registering to vote or contact your county elections office to ask if voting materials are available in your preferred language.

Assistance is also available for voters with disabilities, including accessible ballot-marking devices and curbside voting at polling places and vote centers statewide. You can also contact your county elections office to learn more about Remote Accessible Vote-By-Mail and Emergency Ballot Delivery options.

Any voter is permitted to bring up to two people–other than their employer or union representative–into the voting booth to assist them. Californians are also entitled to take up to two hours off of work to vote if they do not have enough time outside of normal working hours.

Finally, you may have someone else return your completed ballot for you to any drop box or voting location, as long as they are not being paid based on the number of ballots they return. Just complete the authorization section on your ballot envelope.

Find the California Voter Bill of Rights here to learn more about your right to vote.

If you encounter any issues in casting your ballot or feel like your rights were violated, you can visit the Election Protection website or call/text one of the hotlines below to get help resolving your dispute and reporting your claim.

• English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
• Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
• Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, and Filipino/Tagalog: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
• Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)

Non-Partisan CA Special Election Voter Information Guides

• Asian Law Caucus
• California Common Cause
• League of Women Voters