Elections and Voting

California became the 31st state of the United States of America on September 9, 1850. As part of a democratic country, California is governed by officials elected by its citizens.

Who is eligible to vote?

To register to vote in California, you must be:

• A United States citizen
• A resident of California
• 18 years or older on Election Day (citizens may pre-register to vote at 16 to be automatically be registered to vote on their 18th birthday) 
• Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony (for more information, please see the Secretary of State's Voting Rights: Persons with a Prior Felony Conviction)
• Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court (for more information, please see Voting Rights: Persons Subject to Conservatorship)

(Source: SOS.CA.gov)

Who represents me?

You can find the current elected officials who directly represent you on USA.gov. Just follow the link below and enter your street address. Your results will include the federal officials who represent you and your state in Washington, D.C., your state officials who represent you in your state capital (Sacramento, CA), and your local officials who represent you in your county and city. Each official's website and contact information is also available. 

Find and contact elected officials here.

Types of Elections

There are three basic types of elections–primary, general, and local–as well as special elections.

• Primary elections: voters select candidates from their registered political party to advance to the general election.
• General elections: held in the whole state and not limited to voters in a particular party or a specific locality.
  • Statewide general elections: held every two years–on even numbered years–in November on the first Tuesday after the first Monday.
  • Presidential general elections: held on the same date, but only every four years.
• Local elections: can be part of general elections or held separately; pertain to specific counties/cities.
• Special elections: limited to one specific purpose, such as filling a vacancy midterm.

(Source: CAvotes.org).

What is the Electoral College? | National Archives

This resource from the National Archives provides information on the Electoral College process. It explains how electors are distributed among states, how electors are chosen, and what happens during and after a general election. 

Total Electoral Votes: 538

Majority Needed to Elect: 270

Current allocations for the 2024 and 2028 presidential election: 

CALIFORNIA: 54 VOTES (Source: archives.gov)

What are the different types of ballot measures in California?

Check out these resources to learn more about the different types of ballot measures and how they end up on the ballot:

Ballot Measures | SOS.CA.gov

Types of ballot measures in California | Ballotpedia