Voting is one of the most important rights we hold as an American citizen. It gives us the power to make our voices heard and influence our democracy. But according to U.S. Census data from 2020, as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote.
Every year, millions of Americans fail to vote because they either miss a registration deadline, don’t update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register.
Voting isn’t just about picking our nation’s leader; there are a number of local and state issues to consider in other words every election is important. On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Californians will once again get the chance to have their voices heard at the polls at the 2025 Statewide Special Election.
Use the following tips to make sure you are prepared to vote and knowledgeable about the issues.
Who Can Vote
To register to vote in California, you must be:
- A United States citizen and a resident of California (voters in the military or overseas, can visit Military and Overseas Voters for additional info),
- 18 years old or older on Election Day,
- Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony (for more information, please see Voting Rights Restored: Persons with a Prior Felony Conviction), and
- Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court (for more information, please see Voting Rights: Persons Subject to Conservatorship).
How to Vote
Registration is easy and can be completed online. Voters must register 15 days before the election (in this case that would be October 20th) otherwise they will have to complete a same day registration form at a voting location.
When you register to vote, you are asked to fill in your driver’s license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you are a first-time voter in a federal election and do not include this information when you register, send a photocopy of some personal identification to your county elections office before the election.
If you’re already registered, check your registration status to ensure your address and name are correct.
Where to Vote
Election Day: Tuesday, November 4, will be the last day to vote. Find your nearest polling place, and check their hours, by clicking here – be sure to plan ahead.
Vote-by-mail: County Election Offices will start mailing ballots by October 6, 2025. Complete the ballot, seal and sign it, then be sure to drop it off in a ballot collection box or have it postmarked by Election Day to be counted. Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day.
If you are not sure your vote-by-mail ballot will arrive in time if mailed, bring it to any polling place in the state between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. If you do not have internet access, you can find your assigned polling location by calling (800) 881-VOTE (8683).
Once you’ve submitted your ballot, you can track its status using WheresMyBallot. It will show when the ballot was mailed, received and counted.
Vote Early and In-Person: Starting October 25th Vote Centers will be open giving Californians 11 days to cast their ballot.
And did you know that California employers are required to provide paid leave for voting in nationwide elections? Check with your employer for more information.
Know What’s on the Ballot
Typically, there are many different candidates running for local, state and federal office.
This is a Statewide Special Election and one of the main issues on the ballot is Proposition 50 also known as the “Election Rigging Response Act”, which would let California voters approve temporary changes to the congressional district map drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission with a new one drawn by the state legislature.
Propositions are statewide measures that have qualified for the ballot. Learn more on the California Secretary of State website.