Voting Information for 2021
Note: the information on this page was updated for the California 2021 Gubernatorial Recall Election. This page will be updated for future elections.
In order to be eligible to vote in California, you must be:
- A United States citizen and California resident
- 18 years or older on election day
- Not currently in state or federal prison for the conviction of a felony
- Not prohibited to vote by a court due to mental incompetency
- Some form of identification ( e.g., your student ID card)
- The last four digits of your social security number
- Your date of birth
Note: 16 and 17 year olds may pre-register to vote if they will be 18 on Election day.
Register Online
California residents can register to vote at https://registertovote.ca.gov/.
Register in Person
Residents can register to vote at the county elections office, library, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices or U.S. post office. You must ensure that your application is filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to your county elections office 15 days prior to the election.
Register at a Voting Center, even on Election Day!
California residents that missed the registration deadline can still register to vote 14 days prior to the election and on Election Day under Conditional Voter Registration. People can still register to vote on Election day at any voting center.
For an interactive map to find a Ballot Drop Box or Vote Center in your area,
click here
Vote-By-Mail for All
All registered voters in Orange County will receive an optional vote-by-mail ballot. Fill out your ballot and mail it back from the comfort of your home.
Every ballot comes with a unique barcode that you can track. To track your ballot, go to WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov
Ballot Drop Boxes
If you would rather not mail out your ballot but don't want to line up at a voting center, you can drop off your votes at a ballot drop box.
To locate a ballot drop box, click here.
Voting Center
Starting in 2020, the traditional polling sites were replaced by voting centers located across Orange County. These voting centers will be open for up to ten days prior to the election, including weekends. Rather than be assigned a voting center, residents will be able to vote at the center of their choice.
To locate a voting center, click here.
