Californians who want to vote in the upcoming March 3 election, which will include votes for the Board of Supervisors, State Senate, State Assembly, Congressional races, and presidential primary, must register by midnight Tuesday evening — which is tonight. If you’re reading this after the deadline with a sinking feeling, fear not: California enshrines your right to same-day voter registration at a polling place. As long as your information is validated, your ballot will be counted.
According to a press release from the California Secretary of State:
“The following parties … will allow No Party Preference voters to request their party’s presidential ballot in the March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election: American Independent Party, Democratic Party, and Libertarian Party.
“The Green, Peace and Freedom, and Republican presidential primaries are open only to voters registered with their respective parties.”
In simpler terms, if you’re registered as “no party preference,” you can take part in the Democratic, Libertarian, and American Independent primaries by requesting a ballot, but you must change your party preference if you wish to vote in the Republican presidential primary.
Registering to vote is a simple process that should take no more than five minutes and can be completed at the California Secretary of State’s website here: registertovote.ca.gov/.
General Information
Here is a link to the “Frequently Asked Questions” section on the California Secretary of State’s website: sos.ca.gov/elections/frequently-asked-questions/.
Where is my polling place?
You can find information about your polling location here: sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place/.
Can I vote by mail?
Yes, as long as you are registered to vote by midnight tonight, you can apply to vote by mail before February 25. To do so, contact your county election officials. This is the link: sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail/#apply.
When is the last day to register to vote?
Today! But should you miss this deadline, no need to despair. California law enshrines your right to Same Day Voter Registration, which means you can register at a polling place on the day of the election, cast your vote, and, as long as your registration information passes verification, your ballot will be counted. The link is posted here: sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/.
Can I vote online?
No.