Qualifications for Registering to Vote
To register to vote in California, you must be:
- A United States citizen,
- A resident of California,
- 18 years of age or older on Election Day,
- Not currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony (for more information on the rights of people who have been incarcerated, please see the Secretary of State`s Voting Rights for Californians with Criminal Convictions or Detained in Jail or Prison), and
- Not currently found to be mentally incompetent by a court of law.
Political Party Preference
The Republican Party has a rule about who can vote for Republican presidential candidates in the Primary Election. In order to vote for any of the Republican presidential candidates, you must be registered as a Republican. You CANNOT be registered as a Democrat, Decline to State, or any other political party.
The Democrat Party has a different rule. If you want to vote for anyone of the candidates on the Democrat ballot during a Primary Election, you are NOT required to be registered as a Democrat. You can be registered as a Democrat, a Republican, as Decline to State, or any other political party.