Are you ready to vote in November? Welcome to Rubicon's one-stop shop for everything Election 2020. Learn your rights. Find out how to register. Learn where Rubicon stands on local issues. We've got you covered! 

Voter Eligibility and Registration Information

Important Dates:

• October 5, 2020: Counties will begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots
• October 19, 2020: Last day to register to vote
• November 3, 2020: Election Day, Polls are open 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Am I Allowed to Vote?

In California, you are able to vote if you are:

• 18 years or older on Election Day
•  A U.S. Citizen
• A resident of California
• You are not currently in prison or currently on parole for a felony conviction. That means that formerly incarcerated individuals, individuals in jail, and individuals on probation CAN vote.

You have a right to vote if you are a registered voter, even if your name is not on a voter list. You will vote using a provisional ballot, and your vote will be counted if election officials determine you are eligible to vote.

More information for individuals with a criminal history:

• Voting Rights: Persons with a Criminal History resource (Source: California Secretary of State)
• Jail Voting Toolkit resource (Source: ACLU)
• KYR Voting for Formerly Incarcerated People Video (Source: Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto)
  • English: https://vimeo.com/458336811 (1.5 minutes)
  • Spanish: https://vimeo.com/458336664

How Do I Register to Vote? 

Step 1: Check to see if you are already registered to vote online here

You will need to enter some personal information:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Drivers license
• Last 4 digits of social security number

Step 2: If you are not already registered, you can register online here

You will need to enter some personal information:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Drivers license
• Last 4 digits of your social security number

If you do not include this information when you register, you will need to send a photocopy of some personal identification to your county elections official before the election. Examples include:

• Passport
• Official California identification card
• Student identification card
• Recent utility bill
• County Voter Information Guide you received from your county elections office
• Another document sent to you by a government agency

As a part of registering to vote, you are given the option to become a “permanent vote-by-mail voter,” which means you will automatically receive a ballot in the mail before each election.

If you need to request a paper voter registration application you can obtain a paper voter registration application at your county elections office, library, DMV, or USPS. You must complete and either post-mark or hand-deliver it to your county elections office at least 15 days before the election (October 19th). To request a voter application be mailed to you, please call (800) 345-8683.

More information on how to fill out a California Voter Registration Card here

Step 3: Track your vote-by-mail ballot at Where’s My Ballot here

A voter who has signed up will receive notices via email, text, or voice message from the county elections official regarding the status of the voter’s vote-by-mail ballot, including:

• When the ballot has been delivered
• The date that the voter’s ballot is expected to be delivered to the voter
• If the voter’s ballot is returned as undeliverable to the county elections official by the USPS
• When the voter’s completed ballot has been received by the county
• Whether the voter’s completed ballot has been accepted or a reason why the ballot could not be accepted and instructions of steps the voter can take in order to have the ballot accepted
• The deadline for the voter to return his or her ballot if the county has not received a voter’s completed ballot by specified dates as determined by the county elections official

To see where Rubicon stands on some of the important issues affecting California this November, including state and local propostions, see our Voter Guide here.