Pre-18 voter registration in
California
In California 515,472
people turn 18 every year.
Californians can 
pre-register before turning 18.
To register to vote in California, you must be: 16 years old. That means all eligible seniors, juniors and most sophomores in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote. 
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in California
Upcoming Elections:
- Jun 2nd, 2026 - California Primary Election (Register by May 18th, 2026)
- Aug 4th, 2026 - Congressional District 1 Special Election
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - California General Election (Register by Oct 19th, 2026)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for California.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in California.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
When you register to vote, you must provide your California driver's license or California identification card number, if you have one. If you do not have a driver's license or ID card, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number (SSN). If you do not include this information, you will be required to provide identification when you vote if it is your first time voting in a federal election.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in California you must:
be a United States citizen
be a California resident
be at least 18 years old or older on Election Day
not be currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
not be currently found to be mentally incompetent to vote by a court
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing your registration application, federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes a current and valid photo identification or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.
More information here.
Online Instructions
To register online in California, you need to provide a California-issued driver license or California identification card number, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and consent to the use of your DMV-stored digital signature to use California’s online voter registration system. If you don't have a California-issued ID or don't want to provide consent for the use of your digital signature, you can use the California Online Voter Registration system to fill out an application. You must then print the form or request that your local election office print and mail the form to you. The printed form must be completed and returned to your local election office by mail or in person.
More information here.
California High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
California Requirements for High School Voter Registration
High schools are required to designate a person responsible for distributing voter registration forms, and the Secretary of State is required to distribute forms to high schools and to report to the Legislature regarding student voter registration efforts.
The last two full weeks in April and September are designated as High School Voter Education Weeks, during which time persons authorized by the county elections official shall be allowed to register students and school personnel on any high school campus.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Apr 1st, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Mar 27th, 2026.
See More
Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
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