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Civic Engagment and Voter Empowerment

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Register, Vote, and Volunteer

We understand that voter empowerment and civic engagement is an essential part of the college experience and contributes to democratic participation in our society. Our aim is to help demystify voter empowerment and civic engagement, and connect students with resources, services, and partnerships that will help them in their journey to become active and empowered global citizens. Through instruction, extracurricular activities, student clubs, and peer-to-peer interactions, there are opportunities to become civically engaged and involved both on and off campus.

Voter Empowerment

Register to Vote >>

Inscribirse para Votar >>

Upcoming Election Dates

Are you eligible to Vote?

To vote in California, you must be:

A U.S. citizen and a resident of California
18 years or older on Election Day
Not currently in state or federal prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony. For more information please see Votiing Rights: Persons with a Criminal History.
And, not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court. For more information, please see Voting Rights: Persons Subject to Conservatorship.

Get started

To vote in California, you’ll need to be registered in California. Not registered yet, or not sure if you’re registered?

FAQs: Increasing Voter Access

Click on any of the FAQs below, which will guide you to the relevant California Secretary of State web pages. Use your state’s Secretary of State website as the primary source for elections and voting information.

What is Same Day Voter Registration?
Who is eligible to Pre-Register to Vote before age 18? And, how do I pre-register?
Is there in-person early voting in my county? Where do I drop off my vote-by-mail ballot
Where is my polling place?
What is the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA)?
Does my county participate in VCA?
How does California ensure access to Voters with Disabilities? Check out the following two videos:
- Watch on YouTube – Accessible Vote-by-Mail for Voters with Disabilities
- Watch on YouTube – Vote Centers and Accessibility
If an individuals have a primary language preference other than English, are voter registration applications available to them?
Does California provide the restoration of voting rights for individuals who have been formerly incarcerated.

FAQs: Demysitfying Vote-by-Mail

Demystifying Vote-by-Mail

In California, you may request a vote-by-mail ballot for a particular election or you may request permanent vote-by-mail status. California, along with 28 other states do this. Five states conduct all elections entirely by mail – Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah. Given Covid-19, what are the changes regarding vote-by-mail? Is it possible for California to follow in the footsteps of “all mail elections” states? How is California working with the U.S. Postal Service?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Click on any of the FAQs below which will guide you to the relevant Secretary of State web pages. Use your state’s Secretary of State website as the primary source for elections and voting information. For more information, call the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683) or contact your county elections office.

How do I verify my voter registration status?
How do I become a permanent vote-by-mail voter? Update your voter registration status to become a permanent vote-by-mail voter at RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
How do I submit my vote-by-mail ballot?
Once I’ve submitted my ballot, how can I track my vote-by-mail ballot?
How do I apply to become an elections poll worker?

Election Resources

Non-partisan Resources

Use the non-partisan resources below to learn about your representatives, candidates, ballot measures, and more.

Find Your Representatives

California Legislature

You are represented by one (1) Assembly Member and one (1) State Senator:

U.S. Congress

You are represented by one (1) House Member and two (2) U.S. Senators:

U.S. and California Constitutions

Civic Engagement

Become a paid elections poll worker - apply now!

County elections officials depend on reliable, dedicated teams of poll workers to make every Election Day run smoothly. Apply at the Secretary of State’s Vote Safe California Poll Worker Portal.

Who can be a poll worker?

A registered California voter
A legal resident of the United States who would be eligible to vote except for their citizenship status
An eligible high school student

What does a poll worker do?

Sets up and closes a polling place
Helps voters understand their rights
Protects ballots and voting equipment

Why be a poll worker?

Get involved and assist voters
Contribute to your community
Earn extra money (amount varies by county)