» Where
To Register To Vote
» Online
Voter Registration
» Qualifications
To Register And Vote In California
» The
Voter Registration Deadline
» Absentee
Voting
» Language
Assistance
» Polling
Place Lookup
» Voters
with Disabilities
» Additional
information
Where
To Register To Vote
Voter registration forms are available at the Registrar of Voters Office
located in the Alameda County Courthouse at 1225 Fallon Street, Room
G-1, Oakland, California 94612. Forms are also available at all offices
of the Department of Motor Vehicles, all city clerks offices, public
libraries and post offices. Persons may also call the Registrar of Voters
at 510-663-8683 or the Secretary of State at 1-800-345-VOTE and a registration
form will be mailed to you.
Online
Voter Registration
You can complete a voter registration form online. This form will be
printed and mailed to you for verification. When you verify that the
information is correct the form must be signed and mailed to your county
election official for the registration to be processed. To complete the
online form go to www.ss.ca.gov/elections/votereg1.html.
Qualifications
To Register And Vote In California
A person entitled to register to vote must be:
• A U.S. citizen,
• A resident of California,
• Not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony,
• At least 18 years of age on the date of the next election.
(A person may register to vote at age 17 if he or she will be 18 on or
before the next election.)
• California law denies the right to vote to persons who have been determined
mentally incompetent.
The
Voter Registration Deadline
The voter registration deadline is always 15 days before an election.
However, please be advised that voters who register after the 29th day
before an election will not receive a sample ballot or other election
information by mail.
Absentee Voting
Absentee Ballots
Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot. Absentee Ballot requests
must be received 1 week before election day by 5:00pm. Voters may request
an absentee ballot by any of the following 3 methods:
Completing the request form from the back of their sample ballot and
mailing it to the Registrar of Voters.
Mail a letter of application to:
Registrar of Voters
PO Box 24224
Oakland CA 94623
Your letter must state your name, residence address
in Alameda County, the address to which the ballot
is to be mailed (if different than your residence)
and your signature. You may also fax your request
to 510-272-6982.
Use the convenient online
application** (PDF - 393kb). Complete the online application, print
it, sign it, and mail or fax it to the address above.
THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS IS PRECLUDED BY LAW FROM
SENDING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT BASED ON A TELEPHONE REQUEST.
YOU MUST REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT IN WRITING. WRITTEN
REQUESTS, BY MAIL, MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE REGISTRAR
NO LATER THAN SEVEN DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION.
Voters may also cast absentee ballots in person
in the office of the Registrar of Voters during the
absentee voting period. The absentee voting period
begins twenty-nine days before an election and extends
until the close of polls on election day. Regular
office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30
AM to 5:00 PM. The office is open until 8:00 PM on
election days.
Permanent Absentee Voting
Any California voter may request to become a permanent absentee voter.
Permanent absentee voters are mailed an absentee ballot for each election
in which he or she is eligible to vote. Permanent absentee voters remain
on the permanent absentee list unless they fail to return a voted ballot
in a Primary or General Election.
To become a permanent absentee voter, complete the
absentee application on the back of your sample ballot.
Be sure to check the box on the application indicating
you wish to become a permanent absentee voter. You
can also download the Permanent
Absentee Voter Application** (PDF - 686kb). Mail
or fax the completed application to the Registrar
of Voters.
For more information please call the Registrar of
Voters Absentee Voting Section at 510-663-8683.
**Requires free Adobe
Acrobat Reader.
Absentee Voting - FAQ's
INFORMATION FOR ABSENTEE VOTERS
VOTE BY MAIL IN EVERY ELECTION - PERMANENTLY
Any voter may now apply for permanent absent voter status and receive
an absentee ballot in the mail for every election.
What does it mean to become a permanent absentee
voter?
Permanent absentee voters automatically receive their ballots by mail
within the 29 days preceding any election in which they are eligible
to vote.
How do I apply for permanent absent voter status?
Fill out the application on the back cover of this sample ballot and
check the box that asks if you want to become a permanent absent voter.
Write your initials in the space next to the box.
Must I reapply for an absentee ballot once I
am a permanent absentee voter?
No. However, if you do not return your ballot for a Primary or General
Election, you will lose your permanent absent voter status and must then
reapply.
Can I change my mind and vote at the polls after
I receive my ballot?
Yes. Even if you receive an absentee ballot and later decide to vote
at the polls, just turn in your absentee ballot envelope with the unvoted
ballot inside and vote a regular ballot at the polls. If you lose your
absentee ballot and want to vote at the polls, you may vote provisionally
by putting your ballot inside a provisional ballot envelope.
When must I return my voted ballot?
You must return your ballot to the Registrar of Voters or to any polling
place in Alameda County by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. However, if you
are ill or disabled, you may authorize your spouse, child, parent,
grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister or a person residing in your
household to return your ballot. The person returning your ballot must
print his or her name and sign in the space provided on the absentee
return envelope.
If you have questions about absentee voting, please
call the Alameda County Registrar of Voters at (510)
663-VOTE (8683).
Language Assistance
Pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act, all Alameda
County registration and sample ballot information
is available in Spanish and Chinese as well as English.
To speak to a voter outreach worker please call
510-272-6948.
For assistance in Cantonese please call 510-208-9665.
For assistance in Spanish please call 510-272-6975.
Polling
Place Lookup
For information regarding Polling Place locations
for the March 2, 2004 Direct Primary Election. Please
call 510-663-VOTE (8683).
For information about polling places or election
information: http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/state/
Voters with
Disabilities
Instructions
for Audio Ballot
Equipment
Information for Voters with Special Needs
Information
for Elderly Voters and Voters with Disabilities
Additional
Information
For additional information please visit the Alameda
County Registrar of Voters' site at www.co.alameda.ca.us/rov/index.htm.
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