(For more detailed information on the following items click on What's New)

• REDISTRICTING: POLLING PLACES HAVE CHANGED FOR THOUSANDS OF VOTERS AND MANY VOTERS WILL HAVE NO POLLING PLACE
  This is a  result of redistricting following the census.  Warning - the phone lines on Election Day will be extremely busy and it may be difficult to get through.  If you need to contact the Registrar of Voters please try to call BEFORE Election Day.  Polling place locations are printed on the back cover of the sample ballot pamphlet and are available 24-hours a day on the automated phone system or on this website beginning three weeks before the election - just click on polling place/sample ballot lookup.
  
  

• THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE HAS CHANGED
  Voters now have until 15-days before an election to register, instead of 29-days.  However, if you wait until after 29-days, you may not receive your sample ballot pamphlet or state pamphlet.  Instead, you would receive a yellow postcard confirming your registration and giving you the address of your polling place.  If you receive such a postcard take it to the polls with you since your name may not be on the list of voters at the polls.  If you do not receive a sample ballot and want to see what you are entitled to vote on, beginning three weeks before the election you can use this website - click on polling place/sample ballot lookup to locate your polling place and make your sample ballot selection.
  
  

• MODIFIED PRIMARY - WHO CAN VOTE A PARTY BALLOT
  California had a closed primary through 1996 - an open primary in 1998 and 2000 - and now it is an unusual combination.  If you are registered with a qualified political party, you must vote the ballot for that party.  If you are registered with a non-qualified party or non-partisan, you may choose to vote the ballot of either the American Independent, Democratic, Natural Law, or Republican Party.  If voting absentee, you make this choice on your application form.  If voting at the polls, you make the choice by announcing it aloud to the poll worker.  To see the ballot of another party, beginning three weeks before the election, click on polling place/sample ballot lookup to locate your polling place and make your sample ballot selection.