Get the Facts About Voter Registration

We protect your vote, every step of the way.

We register eligible voters, validate their identity and keep the database of registered voters up-to-date. People attempting to register or vote illegally is extremely rare, but we have countless security measures in place, such as information checks and signature verifications, to prevent it.

Click on the topics below to get clear and accurate information in response to some of the most common questions about voter registration and list maintenance.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Email the Contra Costa County Elections Division or call (925) 335-7800.

Protecting your vote, every step of the way

Common Questions about Voter Registration

  • No, people who aren’t eligible to vote are not allowed to register to vote or cast ballots. When registering to vote, people must sign, under penalty of perjury, that they meet eligibility requirements. Voter registration is validated against the Department of Motor Vehicles and Social Security Administration databases. If an applicant cannot be validated, they must provide a government-issued photo identification the first time they vote. Falsifying voter registration information is a felony and is punishable by up to 3 years in prison.

    Under California law, you are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older on election day, not currently serving a prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found to be mentally incompetent by a court. Click to register to vote.

  • Election officials use every available tool to ensure the database of registered voters is accurate and up-to-date and that only eligible voters are registered to vote. Security measures, such as signature verification and information checks, are in place to prevent voter fraud. Election officials routinely remove deceased individuals and inactive voters from the voter registration list.

    VoteCal, California’s statewide voter registration database, helps elections officials update voter registration if a voter moves and check that voters are only registered once and vote only once in an election in California.

    The database of registered voters is regularly checked against many data sources, including records from the Social Security Administration, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the California Department of Public Health, the Employment Development Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Superior Court of California – Contra Costa County, and Contra Costa Health.

    Click to learn more about Voter Registration and List Maintenance..

  • Under California law, you are eligible to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older on election day, not currently serving a prison term for the conviction of a felony, and not currently found to be mentally incompetent by a court.

    A person with a criminal history cannot vote if they are currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony. Once the person is released from prison, their right to vote is automatically restored and they should register to vote.

    A person with a criminal history can register to vote if the following applies: if they are on parole, probation, mandatory supervision, under post-release community supervision, federal supervised release, or in a local detention facility.