Register to Vote
Register to Vote
You may register at any time, but to be eligible to vote in an upcoming election, your Voter Registration Form must be submitted online by midnight no later than 15 days before that election. If you are mailing a Voter Registration Form, it must be postmarked no later than 15 days before that election and received by the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division by the close of the polls on Election Day.
Voter Qualifications
You may register to vote if you meet all of the following requirements:
- Citizen of the United States
- Resident of California
- At least 18 years of age on or before Election Day
- Not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony
- Not prohibited from voting by a court because of mental incompetency
Once your registration form is received and processed, we will send you a Voter Notification Card within three to four weeks indicating that you are now a registered voter. You can also check your eligibility online. If you are unsure about your voting status, please call the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division at 650.312.5222.
16 and 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote if they meet all of the following requirements:
- Citizen of the United States
- Resident of California
- Not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony
- Not prohibited from voting by a court because of mental incompetency
Applicants will be sent confirmation when their voter pre-registration application is processed, or they will be contacted if more information is needed to confirm their eligibility.
Register to Vote Online
You may register to vote or change your registration information online. You will be redirected to the Secretary of State’s website where you will be asked to enter your personal information and provide your driver’s license number and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Register to Vote via the Mail
You may register by mailing a completed Voter Registration Form to the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division.
Forms are available in person at public libraries, city and county offices, California Department of Motor Vehicles offices and at U.S. Post Offices. You may also call our office at 650.312.5222 and we will mail a form to you within one business day.
To pick up a Voter Registration Form in person, look at our index below for a location near you.
Uniformed and Overseas Voters
San Mateo County voters who are overseas or in the military may register and apply for a Vote by Mail ballot by completing a Federal Post Card Application form (Standard Form 76).
This form is available at your local US Embassy or by visiting the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.
Re-register to Vote
You must re-register to vote if you:
- change your name
- change your address
- want to change your political affiliation (party)
To find out more information about a political party, information can be found by looking at the Political Party Index. You can also learn more about the political parties with this easy reference guide.