Voting: What Are My Rights?
As with all statewide elections, Californians have several options for registering to vote and casting a ballot for the June 2 election. Learn more about your rights below.
Who can vote in California?
To vote in statewide elections in California, you must be:
- A U.S. citizen,
- A resident of California,
- At least 18 years old on Election Day, and
- Not currently serving a prison sentence or found mentally incompetent to vote by a court.
Although you must be 18 or older on Election Day to vote, 16 and 17 year olds in California can pre-register to vote. Learn more here.
Most Californians with a criminal record have the right to vote, including people who have finished their sentence or are awaiting trial, those who are serving a misdemeanor or felony jail sentence, and those who are on a form of community supervision such as probation or parole. The only time a conviction affects your right to vote is while you are serving a state or federal prison sentence.
Californians who are unhoused and meet the eligibility criteria above also have the right to vote. If you are unhoused, you may register to vote at a location where you spend most of your time, such as a shelter, park, or cross streets. You can also provide a mailing address, if available, to receive a mailed ballot and other election materials.
How do I register to vote?
Voter registration is required before an eligible Californian can vote. It is important to make sure that your registration is up-to-date so that you can receive the correct ballot in time for the election. If you have moved, changed your name, or regained your voting rights since you last voted, you will need to update your registration. You can also update your registration to change your party or language preferences.
For the June 2 election, you can register or update your voter registration online, by mail, or at your local election office, DMV, public assistance office, post office, or public library until May 18, 2026.
If you miss the May 18 deadline, you can use same-day registration to register or update your information in-person at your vote center or polling place until the close of polls on Election Day.
How can I cast my ballot?
There are multiple ways that you can vote in California.
Mail: All voters with active registrations will automatically be mailed a ballot. Once you complete this ballot, you can return it through USPS in the ballot envelope provided. No postage is required.
Drop box: You may also return a completed ballot using any official ballot drop box across the state. In many counties, this may be the fastest way to return the ballot you received by mail. Find drop-box and early voting locations here.
In person: If you prefer or need to vote in-person, voting locations will be open in every county on June 2 from 7am to 8pm. Early in-person voting options will also be available starting May 5. Your nearest voting location will be listed on the sample ballot you receive by mail. You can also find your voting location here or on your county elections website.
Remember to sign your ballot envelope before returning it by mail or drop box. Elections officials will compare this signature to the one on your registration before counting your ballot and will contact you if your signature is missing or does not compare. Your ballot must be postmarked or returned to a drop box by 8pm on June 2 to be counted. Sign up for Where’s My Ballot to get updates when your ballot is mailed to you, received, and counted.
Know your rights at the polls:
- If you are in line to vote when polls close, you have the right to vote. Stay in line!
- You do not have to show ID to vote in the June 2 election, unless you did not provide your license or social security number when you registered and this is your first time voting in a federal election (this is rare).
- If you experience challenges at the polls–including issues with registering or casting your ballot, long lines, or intimidation–call or text 866-OUR-VOTE to speak with a trained election protection volunteer.
What if I need help voting?
Voting materials and in-person voting assistance are available in multiple languages. Add your language preference when registering to vote or contact your county elections office to ask if voting materials are available in your preferred language.
Assistance is also available for voters with disabilities, including accessible ballot-marking devices and curbside voting at polling places and vote centers statewide. You can also contact your county elections office to learn more about Remote Accessible Vote-By-Mail and Emergency Ballot Delivery options.
Any voter is permitted to bring up to two people–other than their employer or union representative–into the voting booth to assist them. Californians are also entitled to take up to two hours off of work to vote if they do not have enough time outside of normal working hours.
Finally, you may have someone else return your completed ballot for you to any drop box or voting location, as long as they are not being paid based on the number of ballots they return. Just complete the authorization section on your ballot envelope.
Find the California Voter Bill of Rights here to learn more about your right to vote.
Election Protection: How Can I Help?
Common Cause ensures that every voter can make their voices heard, even when anti-voter rules or actors try to get in the way. This June, we will mobilize trained Election Protection volunteers to help our fellow Californians navigate the voting process and cast their votes without obstruction, confusion, or intimidation. Join us!
Volunteer!
In partnership with Asian Law Caucus and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, Common Cause conducts the largest non-partisan election protection program in California. At polling places, volunteers will check for language and disability access, assist any voters who are encountering problems, and monitor to help ensure that voter harassment and disenfranchisement do not occur. Volunteers will fill out a checklist for each polling place visited and report problems through established channels. Volunteers will be trained and equipped with a legal hotline to help address any issues at the polls.
SIGN UP to volunteer here by May 8, 2026. Common Cause is looking for volunteers to monitor polls in these Southern California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Availability on Tuesday, June 2
- At least 18 years old
- No prior experience necessary; legal and non-legal backgrounds welcome
- You do not have to be a U.S. citizen or a registered voter
- No language skills beyond basic English are required, but we are especially seeking bilingual volunteers to verify the presence of translated election materials and potentially assist voters.
- Access to a car is strongly preferred
Time: In addition to a four-hour shift, volunteers should prepare to travel up to 90 minutes to their assigned polling places. We make every effort to reduce travel time and consider each volunteer’s preferences. Volunteers will also need to attend a 90-minute online training session (CA MCLE credit available for attorneys) prior to participating.
Pro Bono Credit and Volunteer Gift Cards: To help offset transportation costs and as a thank you for their service, non-attorney volunteers may be eligible to receive a digital gift card after completing the program. Attorneys and law students who are participating in the program to receive MCLE credit or fulfill pro bono requirements are not eligible to receive this gift card.
Questions? Please email cacommoncause@gmail.com.
Donate!
Together, we can make a real difference in helping voters exercise their rights and protecting the democratic process at a moment when so much is at stake. It costs just $50 to sponsor a volunteer, giving them the training, support, and resources they need to assist dozens of voters on Election Day.
Will you chip in $50 today to support our Election Protection Program and stand with us to ensure every Californian’s voice is heard this November?
