The Cal Berkeley Democrats are a 501(c)(3) organization under the ASUC at UC Berkeley.

 

Updated: 25 Sep 2007 23:20:48 PT

Voter FAQ

Registering | Election Day | Special Circumstances

Registering to Vote

Q. What are the requirements to register to vote in California?

A. There are five simple requirements:

1. You must be a United States citizen
2. You must be a resident of California
3. You must be 18 years old by the date of the next election
4. You must not be in prison or on parole for conviction of a felony (though convicted felons not in prison or on parole can vote in California)
5. You must not have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote

Q. I just moved to Berkeley / moved out of the dorms / moved into a new apartment. Do I need to re-register?

A. Yes, yes, and YES! Anytime you change addresses you need to re-register. This is not just applicable to absentee voters; even regular voters receive important information in the mail before the election, so it's important to keep your information updated and current. You can re-register by filling out a new registration form.

Q. Do I have to vote in Berkeley, or can I stay registered in my home town?

A. No, you do not have to re-register in Alameda County (the county that Berkeley's in). If you choose to stay registered in your home county, however, you will still have to re-register as an absentee or permanent absentee voter so that your ballot will come to the correct address. You can re-register by filling out a new registration form.

Q. What's the difference between "absentee" and "permanent absentee" voting?

A. If you register as an absentee voter, you will receive your ballot in the mail for only one election. You can print out an absentee ballot application online.

If you register as a Permanent Absentee Voter (PAV), you will receive an absentee ballot in the mail before every election. You will remain a PAV so long as you don't miss two consecutive statewide general elections, in which case you will be removed from the permanent absentee voting list. If this happens to you, you can simply reapply to get back on the list. You can re-register as a PAV by filling out a new registration form.

Q. Do I have to re-register before every election?

A. Nope. So long as all your information has stayed the same since you last voted, you're good to go.

Q. I don't have a license / I don't know my social security number. Can I still register?

A. Of course! Only one of these two pieces of information—your license or your social security number—is required to register, though both are preferred if possible.

Q. Why does the registration form ask for my phone number and email address? You're not going to call me, are you?

A. No, I'm not your Facebook stalker. The reason the form asks for contact information is so the county registrar can contact you if there is a problem with your registration form, so it's a really good idea to give that information. That being said, you are not obligated to fill out this information if you don't feel comfortable.

Q. You Democrats are cool and all, but I want to register as an independent. Is that what this "American Independent Party" is all about?

A. NO! The American Independent Party is an actual party! If you want to register as an independent voter, bubble in the "I Decline to State a Political Party" bubble on the form.

Q. Can I get out of jury duty by not registering to vote?

A. Nope. While registering to vote does identify you as a potential juror, county officials also use driver's license and state ID rolls to compile juror pools. Nice try, dude, but you can't get out of registering that easily :)

Q. What's the deadline to register to vote?

A. The deadline is 15 days before the election; for the Feb. 5^th election, that date is Jan. 21^st.

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It's Election Day...

Q. When is the 2008 Presidential Primary Election in California?

A. February 5, 2008.

Q. When are general elections held?

A. Election Day is always the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, which is November 4^th in 2008.

Q. Where do I go to vote?

A. The quickest way to locate your polling place is to visit www.smartvoter.org. On the main page, type in your address to view a sample ballot that will list your polling place and other important information. Your polling place should also be printed on the ballot you'll be receiving in the mail. You can also call your local registrar of voters office.

Q. What time can I vote?

A. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Q. What should I bring to my polling place?

A. If you recently registered or re-registered and you still have your receipt, bring it as proof of registration in case your registration hasn't yet been processed. If this will be your first time voting in your county of registration, bring a photo ID so officials can verify your identity. If you received an absentee ballot but wish to vote at your polling place instead, bring the absentee ballot along with you.

Q. Do I have to vote for everything on the ballot?

A. No. Some voters have issues that they simply can't decide on. Others don't have time to wade through all the propositions on the ballot or don't understand everything. Even if you don't choose to vote on everything, the things you do vote for will be counted.

Q. What will happen there?

A. There might be a line at certain times of day, such as first thing in the morning or after work. You'll go to a table staffed by election workers who will look up your name and address. If you've never voted there before, you'll be asked to show a photo ID. Then you'll be asked to sign your name, and they'll direct you to a polling station to vote.

Q. Then what?

A. You're done! Collect your "I Voted!" sticker and feel great about yourself the rest of the day.

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Special Circumstances

Q. I'm voting absentee. When is my ballot due?

A. Your ballot must be received by an elections official in your county of registration by 8 p.m. on election day.

Q. I never received my absentee ballot. Can I still vote?

A. You may vote by provisional ballot at your polling place.

Q. Do I need to vote at my designated polling place?

A. Unless you're voting absentee, it is highly recommended that you vote at your assigned polling place. However, you may vote by provisional ballot at any other polling place in your county of registration.

Q. What is a provisional ballot?

A. You may be required to cast a provisional ballot if:

• You registered or changed your address recently, and the change hasn't yet been processed.
• You go to vote at a polling place other than the one you are assigned. You may vote in this manner at any polling place within your county of registration.
• You requested an absentee ballot but did not bring it to the polling place.
• You are voting for the first time in your county, but did not bring a valid form of identification.

Your provisional ballot will not be counted until it is verified that you are indeed registered in the county and have not already sent in an absentee ballot.

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