Monday Is California's Voter Registration Deadline

LOS ANGELES, CA — Monday is California's deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election, but Californians are already voting in record numbers.

Amid President Donald Trump’s talk of voter fraud and election legal battles as well as widespread concerns about voters being disenfranchised by postal service delays, Golden State residents aren’t taking any chances. A record 1.5 million Californians have already cast their mail-in ballots — roughly 10 times the number of people who had voted this early in the 2016 election, Mindy Romero, director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California, told the New York Times.

“This has been an election that many people have waited for,” she said.

Whether it’s the presidential race, the 12 statewide ballots, the handful of competitive California congressional races or local issues driving voters to the polls, there is a lot at stake. Angst surrounding the voting process is high this year. This week, the California Republican Party put out ballot boxes erroneously labeled “official” at locations such as churches and gun shops, triggering a standoff with the California secretary of state, who briefly threatened prosecution and issued subpoenas for an investigation into how the containers have been used. Trump weighed in on Twitter with, “Fight hard Republicans!” Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also weighed in, calling the GOP ballot boxes "Mickey Mouse stuff,” according to Newsweek.

Amid this politicized climate of doubt and uncertainty, there are several easy steps to make sure your vote counts this election season.

Register to vote here no later than Monday Oct. 19.

If you are voting in person, find your early voting location or Nov. 3 voting center here.

If you are voting by mail:

• Use a black or blue pen to mark your ballot.
• Date and sign your envelope in ink and print your name and address on the envelope. As an extra precaution, make sure your signature matches the signature on your drivers licence or state identification card.
• The experts advise to vote early to ensure there is enough time for your vote to be received and tallied by the deadline. Still, California has the most voter friendly deadlines nationwide. As long as a ballot is postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 20, it will be counted.
• If you are mailing in your ballot on election day, make sure the ballot is dropped in the mailbox before the last pickup of the day. Failure to observe mailbox pickup times is one the most common mistakes that lead to a ballot missing the postmark deadline.
• Mail the ballot by Nov. 3 or drop it off at a voting center or secured ballot drop box by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Find voting centers and drop locations here.