Register to Vote

The Student Voter Registration Act of 2003 (Elections Code sections 2145-2148) was implemented to ensure that every school in California provides eligible high school students a meaningful opportunit to register and pre-register to vote. High schools can comply with this law by placing voter registration cards in orientation packets, making them available in common areas, or by distributing them to graduates.

In addition, Elections Code section 2148 requires each school to designate a staff coordinator and provide the name and contact information to the Secretary of State in order to facilitate the distribution of voter registration cards to all eligible students.

As an alternative to ordering and distributing cards, your school may include a link to California's online voter registration application (RegisterToVote.ca.gov) in any electronic communication and on your school's website in order to offer your students and staff convenient access to voter registration. Simply link to the Secretary of State's online voter registration application by using the Secretary of State's "Register to Vote" button (pictured below). Instructions on adding this button to your website can be found on the Secretary of State's website at http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/register-vote-buttons/.

In an effort to ensure your high school maintains a sufficient stock of voter registration cards and to ensure we have your school's current coordinator information on file, we are requesting each high school complete and return the attached form to our office by September 81 2023. You may order as many voter registration cards as your school needs, free of charge, from the Secretary of State. Voter registration cards are available in ten languages which include English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Upcoming Important Dates:

High School Voter Education Weeks - September 18-29, 2023

National Voter Registration Day - September 19, 2023

Recommendations:

Provide voter registration and pre-registration opportunities to students 16 years old and older

Encourage students 16 years old and older to serve as poll workers

Note: Students in high school are allowed one excused absence per year for a civic or political event, which includes poll working (Election Code Sections 12300-12327)

Partner with county elections officials, nonpartisan voter education and outreach organizations to assist in voter registration and share the importance of casting a ballot

Encourage students to participate in the democratic process and vote

Add voter registration to your curriculum

For more information on civic engagement and voting, please visit:

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/... or contact the Secretary of State's Voter Education Team at

MyVote@sos.ca.gov.

Thank you.

Voter Education Team

California Secretary of State