REGISTERING
TO VOTE
Today,
voter registration couldn’t be easier or more convenient. It’s as simple as
calling (760) 770-0385 and requesting a "Voter Registration
Form". It takes just
a few minutes to fill out the form and mail it back to the Riverside County
Registrar of Voters. You don’t even have to add a postage stamp. The following
are a few of the frequently asked questions regarding the voter registration
process:
Who is Eligible
to Register to Vote?
Anyone may register
who is a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older by the next Election Day (February
5, 2008), a California resident, not in prison or on parole for the conviction
of a felony, and not deemed by an appropriate court to be mentally incompetent.
How Do You
Register to Vote?
You simply obtain
and complete a registration affidavit which asks your name, mailing and residence
address, date of birth, birthplace, political party you wish to join (if any),
driver’s license or identification number, and information about where you’ve
previously registered to vote (in order to keep the voter rolls current), if
applicable. You sign the card under penalty of perjury, date it, and return
it to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, postage prepaid. You must register
by January 21, 2008, if you want to vote in the Primary Election on February
5, 2008.
When and Where
May I Register to Vote?
There is no waiting
period to be eligible to register to vote. If you move, you may register to
vote as soon as you move into your new home. You may register to vote by mail
or in person. Mail-in registration forms are widely available at most post offices
and libraries. If you would like to register in person, you may come into City
Hall and obtain an affidavit form or call 770-0385 and one can be mailed to
your home. You may also register to vote when applying for or renewing your
driver’s license at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Voter Registration forms
are also available on the Internet at
www.ss.ca.gov.
I Did Not
Vote in the Last Election, Do I Need to Re-Register?
In general, you
are registered for as long as you remain at the same address, and you should
continue to receive election materials in the mail. However, if you have not
voted in the last several elections, you may be sent a request to confirm that
you have not moved, and your registration may be eventually canceled. You need
to re-register if you move, get married and wish to change your name, or wish
to change political party affiliation.
Do I Have
to Register With a Specific Political Party?
No. You may register
as a Democrat, Republican, American Independent, Green, Libertarian, Natural
Law, or Reform Party member (the seven qualified political parties in California),
as a "decline-to-state", or you may fill in the name of any other party you
wish to join. Under the provisions of a ballot measure adopted by voters in
the March 1996 Primary Election, California has an open primary, which means
candidates from all parties will appear on the ballot and you may choose among
them without having to vote a straight party ticket. In the General Election,
of course, all registrants have always had the opportunity to vote for all officers
and propositions.
Do I Have
to Re-Register If I Move to a New Location In the Same County Where I Am Already
Registered?
You should re-register
whenever you move. However, if you move within a county and don’t re-register,
you may go to the voting location for your new address. You must bring your
driver’s license (or state identification card) or two pieces of identification
(such as a current utility bill, rent receipt, and similar documents) which
establish your new residence address. You will be allowed to vote under the
new federal "fail-safe" voting provisions, and you will be given a new voter
registration form to complete on election day in order to permanently update
your registration information. If you move to another county, however, you need
to re-register there by 29 days before the election. There is one other exception:
if you move within 29 days before the election, you may return to your old precinct
and vote in that location. You should, however, then re-register at your new
address.
What If I
Move to California Less Than 29 Days Before the Election, or Am Naturalized
as a U.S. Citizen During That Brief Time Before Election Day?
There are special
provisions for new residents and new citizens. In both cases, if you go to the
county election office with identification and proof of your recent move or
naturalization, you may go register and vote on the spot, if you desire. New
residents will be given a limited ballot, but new citizens are able to vote
a full ballot.
When Are The
Polls Open?
They are open
statewide from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on election day.
I Am Away
At School. Do I Use My Address At College Or My Parent’s Address for Purposes
of Registering?
You may use either
one...but only one.
I Am In The
Military, How Do I Register To Vote?
You may register
using your base address to determine your county of residence. If you are from
a state other than California, however, and wish to maintain your permanent
residence from another state and vote by absentee ballot in that state, do not
register to vote in California elections.
