Brennan Center for Justice

California currently has the Electronic Registration at DMVs and Online Registration components of Voter Registration Modernization in place. California has also passed Election Day Registration, which will go into effect after the state implements a statewide voter registration database (likely not until 2015). California also has electronic pollbooks in at least one county.

California currently sends change of address data from DMVs to election officials electronically when people who have moved within a county update their DMV file and wish to update their voter registration as well. Cross-county changes, however, require a signed form from DMV. 

In the past, California has considered the following VRM-related legislation:

• Election Day Correction. Provides for conditional registration for the 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day, which would permit a voter to cast a provisional ballot that counts if the conditional registration is deemed effective. (S.B. 641)
• Election Day Correction. Provides for conditional registration for the 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day, which would permit a voter to cast a provisional ballot that counts if the conditional registration is deemed effective. (A.B. 1436)
• Online Registration. A bill introduced in t the California Legislature urged the United States Congress and President of the United States to enact the federal Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2009, which would provide online voter registration. (AJR 36)
• Online Registration. Under existing law--and once the state complies with the requirements to maintain a statewide voter registration database under the Help America Vote Act of 2002--an eligible citizen who has a valid state ID may submit a voter registration application electronically, via the Secretary of State's web site. This bill authorizes county elections officials to develop their own online voter registration web sites. Provisions under this bill would only be effective until the state is in compliance with HAVA. (S.B. 397)
• Election Day Registration.This bill establishes "one-stop voting," allowing a person to register to vote and immediately vote on Election Day or during the early voting period. (S.B. 641)
• Pre-Registration. Legislation passed in last session of the California Legislature allows a seventeen year-old person to submit an affidavit of registration which will become effective once he or she turns eighteen. (A.B. 30) [PDF]