Registering to Vote

Oct. 10 is the last day to register to vote for the Nov. 7 general election.

Who can register: Under California election laws, voters must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old at the time of the election and a California resident for 29 days before the election. If you move within 28 days of the election, you can vote by returning to your former precinct or by obtaining an absentee ballot for that precinct. If you are in prison or on parole for a felony conviction, you are ineligible to vote.

Reasons to register or re-register:

* You have never registered to vote.

* You have moved since the last election.

* You have changed your name.

* You want to change your party affiliation.

How and where to register: Registration forms are available at most county offices, city halls, Department of Motor Vehicle offices, fire stations, post offices, county libraries, and some high schools and senior citizen centers. Orange County residents can also call the county registrar of voters at (714) 567-7600 during normal business hours to request a registration form.

Absentee ballots: Oct. 10 will be the first day that absentee voter ballots for the Nov. 7 election will be issued. Applications for absentee ballots are located on the back page of your sample ballot. They may also be obtained by writing to the Orange County registrar of voters, P.O. Box 11298, Santa Ana, CA 92711, or in person at the registrar’s office, 1300 S. Grand, Building C, Santa Ana. To be counted, absentee ballots must be mailed in time to arrive in the registrar’s office by Nov. 7, or returned by the voter personally to any polling place in Orange County no later than 8 p.m. on election day.

Source: Times files, Orange County registrar