Voter Information

ELIGIBILITY requirements

To register to vote in California, a person must be:

  • A United States citizen and 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.

For more information on eligibility requirements, visit the Secretary of State's website.

how to register to vote

Online

Visit the California Online Voter Registration website and complete the online application. To register online you will need:

  • Your California driver's license or California identification card number;
  • The last four digits of your Social Security number; and
  • Your date of birth.

By mail

Obtain a registration form from the City Clerk’s office, post office, libraries, Orange County Registrar of Voters, or DMV. It is important that your voter registration application be filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to the Orange County Registrar of Voters at least 15 days before the election. Complete, sign, and mail the original form to the following address:

Orange County Registrar of Voters 

P.O. Box 11298

Santa Ana, CA 92711

In Person: Visit the Orange County Registrar of Voters Office:

1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C

Santa Ana, CA 92705

Registration Deadline

You should register to vote at least 15 days prior to any election. To receive a Voter Information Guide, you must be registered to vote by 29 days prior to the election. 

conditional voter registration

Conditional voter registration extends the existing 15-day registration deadline in California to eligible voters, allowing them to register and vote provisionally 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day. You can register and vote on the same day using the Conditional voter registration process as well. Visit the Orange County Registrar of Voters for more information on Conditional Voter Registration.

voting options

Vote Centers mean many more options for voters. Elections are no longer a one-day event. Voting begins the month before any election day when every voter will receive a vote-by-mail ballot. Take advantage of the alternatives available to avoid congestion – from voting-at-home, drive-thru ballot drop-off, in-person options, returning your ballot via United States Postal Service, or personally delivering your ballot to the Orange County Registrar of Voters – the choice is yours. For a full list of voting options visit the Orange County Registrar of Voters Vote Center page.