A criminal record does not by itself take away the right to vote in California. According to the Secretary of State, the only people who cannot vote because of a conviction are those currently serving a state or federal prison term.
You can vote if you are:
- On parole, probation, mandatory supervision, post-release community supervision or federal supervised release
- In county jail serving a misdemeanor sentence, or because jail time is a condition of probation
- In jail awaiting trial
- Under juvenile wardship
You can't vote if you are:
- Serving a state or federal prison term, including someone serving that term in a county jail or other local facility
- In jail awaiting transfer to state or federal prison
Once a prison term is finished, the right to vote is restored, but the person must re-register.
Parole voting and Prop. 17
An Attorney General information bulletin to law enforcement, 2026-DLE-17, reminds agencies that voters approved Proposition 17 in November 2020, restoring the right to vote to people on parole. The bulletin was issued ahead of the Oct. 19 registration deadline and lays out agencies' duties to help eligible people in custody register and vote.
Probation departments must tell people
A second bulletin, 2026-DLE-18, dated Sept. 25, reminds county probation departments that they must inform people under their supervision about their voting eligibility, and supplies a template letter for doing so.
It's not too late to register
The standard deadline has passed, but California allows same-day conditional registration at any vote center through 8 p.m. on Election Day, as explained in our registration guide.
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.