Press Release posted 10/16/12 – It’s not too late. It’s easy. People can now register to vote online. The deadline to vote in the November election is midnight, Oct. 22.
People need to re-register when they move, change their name or change political parties.
Eligible voters can register whenever and wherever convenient for them, thanks to the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of State’s office. All they need is a California driver license or identification card number, the last four digits of their social security number and date of birth. That’s it.
For people who do not have a driver license or identification card, they can complete the online registration form and an online interview by midnight, Oct. 22. They must, however, also print, sign and mail the form to the address on the mailing label.
To be eligible to vote a person must be a United States citizen, 18 years of age on or before the day of election, be a resident of California, not be in prison or on parole for conviction of a felony, not judicially determined to be incompetent to vote. People convicted of a felony are eligible to vote once they have served their term.
A person does not need to know how to read or write in English or any other language. Assistance is available at the polls. No tests are given.
The League of Women Voters Pasadena Area believes voter registration too frequently presents a barrier to eligible voters. Online voter registration will increase the number of registered voters and facilitate updates of voter registration for people who have moved or changed their name or political party by allowing them to do the process online.
Online registration will help prevent errors in transcribing handwritten information on registration affidavits and will speed up recording of late registrations and cut down on errors. Voters will be better served AND millions of dollars will be saved.
The League encourages all people who are eligible to vote to register and to cast an informed vote in all elections. We believe in the power of the vote, and that government should make voter registration and preregistration easy while assuring that the basic requirements of citizenship, age, and residency are met.