Update (09.23.2021): The Gubernatorial Recall Election was held on September 14, 2021. Visit the Recall Report Back page to learn about the election results and what comes next.
Are you an eligible voter who missed the voter registration deadline, was displaced from your home, or is your name missing from the voter file but want to vote in this year’s recall election?
Lucky for you, in California, you can! California offers Same Day Voter Registration and Provisional Voting options.
Same Day Voter Registration
Same Day Voter Registration, known as Conditional Voter Registration in state law, is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or need to update their voter registration information for an election.
Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process to register and vote in-person at their county elections office, polling place, or vote center. Your ballot will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.
Visite caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov para obtener una lista de lugares de votación donde usted pueda completar el Proceso de Registro de Votantes el Mismo Día.
To register on election day, use the polling place lookup tool to find your local polling location.
Have additional questions about locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration process? Contact your county elections office.
Provisional Voting
Provisional ballots are the same as regular ballots but are considered provisional until circumstances are confirmed. The only difference is that provisional ballots are placed in a special envelope before being placed in the ballot box.
There are two circumstances in which you have a right to cast a provisional ballot in an election in California.
- You believe you are registered to vote, but your name does not appear on the voter list at a polling location, you can vote provisionally.
- You voted by mail, but the county does not have a record of receiving your vote-by-mail ballot, you can vote provisionally.
Any eligible voter, including those displaced by wildfires, can cast a provisional ballot at any polling location in the county, and that ballot will be placed in a special provisional envelope before being put in the ballot box. Only the races you are eligible to vote in will be counted.
A provisional ballot will be counted after county election officials confirm that you are registered to vote and have not already cast a ballot in this election. Any voter who votes provisionally has a right to know whether their provisional ballot was counted. Click here to find the status of your provisional ballot.
This recall election is too important for you to sit out. If you missed the voter registration deadline, are displaced from your home, or your name is missing from your polling place’s voter file, utilize one of these options to make sure your voice is heard. And be sure that your friends and family are aware of these voting options by sharing this information. Our power is our vote, and the time has come for us to use that power to ensure that our leadership truly reflects the will of the people.
Photo credit: