Voter Registration

Requirements and Registration Options

Before registering to vote be sure to check your eligibility and your current voter registration status.  Voter registration status can be verified through your County Registrar of Voters.  Please note that if you have moved since the last election, you will have to update your registration. 

To register to vote in California, you must be:

  • A United States citizen and a resident of California
  • 18 years old or older on Election Day,
  • Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony; and
  • Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court

To pre-register to vote in California, you must:

  • Be 16 or 17 years old, and
  • Meet all of the other eligibility requirements to vote
  • You will automatically be registered to vote on your 18th birthday.

How can I register to vote?

  • By Internet: Complete the on-line Alameda County Voter Registration Form http://registertovote.ca.gov/
  • By mail: Mail-in registration forms are widely available at most County buildings, post offices, libraries, Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices and City Hall.
  • In person: At the Alameda County Registrar of Voters' office in Oakland, 1225 Fallon Street, Room G-1, Oakland, CA 94612.

The deadline to register to vote is always 15 days before an election.  However, please be advised that voters who register after the 29th day before an election will not receive a sample ballot or other election information by mail.

For additional information on voter registration, visit the California Secretary of State website at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/ or the Alameda County Registrar of Voters at http://www.acgov.org/rov/