A Multi-Step Process
If you are eighteen, a US citizen and resident of California, and not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony, you can vote. First, register to vote using the California Online Voter Registration system. You will be asked for your California driver's license (or California identification) number and the last four digits of your social security number. If you do not have one of these documents, a voter registration form will be mailed to you (also available at many government offices). Register to vote at least fifteen days before an election. If you miss this deadline, you can complete the conditional voter registration process and vote with a provisional ballot at a polling place (vote centers or polling place addresses are available on the county registrars' websites). Your vote will be counted once your eligibility has been verified. If you are sixteen or seventeen, pre-register to vote, and you can vote when you turn eighteen. Re-register if you move or if you want to change your party affiliation.
When registering to vote, you will be asked to declare your party affiliation, or you may choose "No Party Preference." California has a "top-two primary system," meaning every voter receives the same ballot. The top two candidates go on to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Except for the US presidential primary races, it doesn't matter what party affiliation you declare on the registration form. A party may only legally restrict voting to its members for the presidential primary. For example, the California Republican Party only allowed registered Republicans to vote in its presidential primary in 2020. Thus, you may wish to register for your preferred party if you want to choose a presidential candidate in the primary ("Elections and Voter Information").
Once registered, you will receive a sample ballot and a voter information pamphlet by mail (two to five weeks before the election). Next, everyone receives their mail-in ballots, which you can return by mail, or if you prefer, you may vote at a vote center or polling place. Counties offer early voting up to ten days before the election. Regulations regarding early voting and polling place locations vary by county, especially regarding whether the county participates in the Voter's Choice Act system.
In 2016, the California state government passed the Voter's Choice Act (VCA), creating a new voting model for counties to join voluntarily. Several counties piloted the program in 2018, with more counties joining in 2020 (including Los Angeles County). Fifteen of the twenty-eight counties in California adopted the Voter's Choice model for the 2022 elections. Instead of neighborhood polling places, the VCA included:
- Every voter is mailed a ballot that can be returned using the postal service, drop boxes, or at vote centers.
- Vote Centers allow voters to vote in person regardless of where they live in the county. They also verify voter registration and provide for same-day registration.
- Early voting is available ten days before Election Day at the Vote Centers.
- Each country establishes an "Election Administration Plan" to ensure that language minority and disabled communities can vote. (California Secretary of State Voter's Choice Act).
As mentioned previously, once registered, you will receive a sample ballot in the mail two to five weeks before each election and a voter information pamphlet describing all the races. The sample ballot lists where you must vote in person and how you can request a mail-in ballot. In-person voting regulations vary by county. Traditionally, county registrars arrange for neighborhood polling places such as schools and fire stations. A voter must vote at their designated polling place unless they request a mail-in ballot as an alternative. Counties offer early voting, but the regulations vary from place to place.
For the 2020 elections, the California state government changed the regulations again in response to the pandemic. To reduce exposure to the coronavirus, all voters received vote-by-mail ballots. Depending on the county, they could mail the ballots or drop them off at vote centers or neighborhood polling places. It is expected that after the pandemic, counties not following the Voter's Choice Act will return to a policy of voters needing to request vote-by-mail ballots if they do not wish to vote in person at their designated polling place (California Secretary of State Voter's Choice Act).
The justifications for the VCA are several. First, it is argued that a consolidated system of vote centers, open for an extended period, boosts voter turnout for people who prefer to vote in person but find the one-day time frame a barrier (Stein and Vonnahme). Second, the consolidated centers are much easier to manage than neighborhood locations, reducing labor costs. The centers have instant access to voter rolls, reducing the need for provisional ballots. Presumably, the consolidated centers will be more secure as fears of electoral hacking and manipulation remain relevant, even if they are largely unsubstantiated. Third, the VCA, which emphasizes voting by mail and vote centers open to all people in a county, makes voting easier to accomplish (McGhee).
In California, in-person voters do not need to show an identification card (such as a driver's license) unless they are voting for the first time and have registered using a voter registration form without including a driver's license (or identification number) and social security number. After voting in person or using a vote-by-mail ballot, voters can verify that their ballots have been counted using an electronic tracking system. In short, the registration and voting process is relatively easy, especially with just a little planning on the part of the voter.
Why isn't voter turnout higher if voting can be accomplished with such relative ease? Or, perhaps one might ask, why is turnout as high as it is? Table 5.2.1 shows the data from recent statewide elections.
Table \(\PageIndex{1}\):Voter Turnout in California
|
Election Date
|
Eligible Voters
|
Turnout
|
Percentage
|
|
2012 Presidential Election
|
23,803,577
|
13,202,158
|
55.47%
|
|
2014 Midterm election
|
24,288,145
|
7,513,972
|
30.94%
|
|
2016 Presidential Election
|
24,875,293
|
14,610,509
|
58.74%
|
|
2018 Midterm Election
|
25,200,451
|
12,712,542
|
50.45%
|
|
2020 Presidential Election
|
25,090,517
|
17,785,151
|
70.88%
|
| 2022 Midterm Election |
26,876,800 |
11,146,820 |
41.47% |
("Election and Voter Information")
