Cast your vote Tuesday March 3
Get ready
Check if you’re registered
Be sure you’re registered to vote by October 19th.
Do you want to vote by mail?
If you think you might have trouble getting to the polls on Election Day, you can choose to vote by mail. To request a California mail-in ballot, print and mail this form by October 27th. If you selected the vote-by-mail option when you registered, you’ll automatically get a mail-in ballot.
Brush up on the ballot
Along with candidates for office, your ballot will include local and state measures that directly affect your community.
Here are some ways to get up to speed:
- The League of Women Voters Vote411 provides nonpartisan tips for navigating the ballot as a first-time voter.
- Look for the California voter guide and sample ballot you’ll get in the mail a couple weeks before Election Day.
- If you’re not a California voter, check out Ballotpedia’s nationwide lookup tool.
- Invite friends to share pizza and discuss the candidates and issues.
- Seek out endorsements of candidates and issues from organizations that share your views.
The growing youth voter movement
In 2018, only five in ten UC students voted. Imagine what we could change if that is 10 in 10. UC students — like college students across the country — are turning out in record numbers. And young voters now outnumber Baby Boomers. That’s a huge force for change.
Go vote
In person
You’ll find out your polling place when you get your California sample ballot in the mail or you can look it up online.
If you’re a UC student and live on campus, your polling place might be right on campus. Many campuses have free shuttles or discount ride-shares to help you get there.
The polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
By mail
There are several ways to submit your completed mail-in-ballot:
- Put it in the mail, and make sure it is postmarked before November 3. California ballots do not require postage – but some states do, so check it before you send.
- Drop it off at an official mail-ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Find a drop location near you.
- Drop it off at any polling place before the polls close at 8 p.m.
Take the pledge
Key dates
October 19, 2020
Registration deadline
October 27, 2020
Deadline to request a mail-in ballot
November 3, 2020
National Election Day
Got questions?
Call California’s toll-free voter hotline:
(800) 345-VOTE
