Who can pre-register
Californians who are 16 or 17 can pre-register online at registertovote.ca.gov, according to the Secretary of State. They must be U.S. citizens and California residents, must not be serving a state or federal prison term for a felony, and must not have been found mentally incompetent to vote by a court. Pre-registration doesn't lower the voting age. It simply means the registration becomes active on the person's 18th birthday.
How many have done it
Since the state launched pre-registration in 2016, more than 1.5 million students have pre-registered, producing more than 1.2 million eligible voters, according to the California Department of Education, as reported by the Orange County Department of Education. The state promotes it through High School Voter Education Weeks, the latest of which ran Sept. 14 to 25, led by Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber and state Superintendent Tony Thurmond.
Turning 18 by Election Day?
The Voter Bill of Rights says you can vote if you are at least 18, a U.S. citizen living in California and registered where you live. A pre-registered teen who turns 18 on or before Nov. 3 is already on the rolls. Anyone eligible who isn't registered can still register and vote the same day at a vote center or polling place.
Other ways students can take part
Students in grades 6 through 12 may get one excused absence a year to participate in a civic or political event with prior notice, and students can serve as poll workers, the OCDE notes.
How to vote
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.
More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.