As a Santa Cruz County resident you may register to vote if you are:

I'm already registered to vote, but want to change my address, name, or party

You need to re-register if you have moved, changed your name, wish to change your political party affiliation, or if your signature has changed. To re-register to vote, you must complete a new voter registration card or fill out the form online at registertovote.ca.gov. See below on "How to Register."

What are the current political parties?

There are currently six qualified political parties in California: 

There are also political parties attempting to qualify. 

If you do not want to register with a poltiical party, you can register as a voter with no party preference. Voters in this category may consider themselves to be nonpartisan, independent, or decline-to-state. 

How to register:

  • In Person
    You may complete a Voter Registration Card at the Santa Cruz County Elections Office located at 701 Ocean St., Room 310 in Santa Cruz, CA.
    Voter Registration Cards are also available at many public locations in Santa Cruz County including U.S. Post Offices, public libraries, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, as well as many government offices.
  • By Phone
    You may request that a Voter Registration Card be mailed to you by calling the Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections office at 831-454-2060 or 866-282-5900.
  • Online
    This online voter registration form will allow you to fill out and submit a California registration application electronically. In order to submit the application electronically you must provide your California Drivers license or identification number, date of birth and last four digits of your social security number. If an exact match is found with your DMV record and an electronic signature image is available your application will be complete.

    If there is no DMV signature match or if you do not provide your California Drivers License/State Identification number or last four digits of your Social Security Number, the online system will generate a printable, pre-filled voter registration application and instruct you to print, sign and mail it to your county elections office.

    The deadline to register for any election is 15 days before the Election Date. Online applications will be considered timely for the election if submitted by midnight on the deadline. If you are required to print, sign and return your form by mail, please do so immediately. Your printed application will include a date and time stamp for our office to verify the timeliness of the application.
     
    Please click the "Register to Vote" button to register to vote or update your voter registration online using the state tool.
    Please click here to register to vote using the Rock the Vote online tool.
    Please click here to register to vote using the CalPIRG student tool.

    You will be asked to provide your driver's license number and the last four digits of your social security number.

    Please note: Allow a minimum of 48 hours for online applications to process. Registration is not an instant process and requires individual review. Make sure all fields are filled in correctly.

    If you have any questions, you may contact the Secretary of State Elections Division at elections@sos.ca.gov or 800-345-8683 or the Santa Cruz County Elections Office at 831-454-2060 or 866-282-5900

To cancel your voter registration in Santa Cruz County:

Simply click here to print the Voter Registration Cancellation Form. Complete, sign and send to the Elections Department. This is not submitted online.

How do I cancel my registration and remove my name from the jury list?

Many voters wish to cancel their registration upon receipt of a jury summons. The Jury Commissioners office utilizes data from our office as well as the DMV, therefore cancelling your registration does not ensure you will not receive a jury summons in the future.

To change your mailing address

If you haven't moved where you live, you have just changed where you get your mail, you can use this simple online form to give us your new mailing address. If you want to remove a mailing address, just type in "none" under the mailing address field.

Click here to change your mailing address. Do not use this link if you have moved and need to register with the above link.

Is Voter Registration Information confidential?

Voter record information is not available for public inspection. However, pursuant to Elections Code Sections 2188 and 2194, voter information is made available for political, governmental, educational and journalistic purposes.

Information on your Voter Registration Card will be used by elections officials to send you official election information, such as the State Voter Guide and the County Voter Information Guide containing your polling place location and information about measures and candidates that will appear on your ballot.

Commercial use of voter registration information is prohibited by law and is a misdemeanor.

Voter information may be provided after an application is completed to a candidate for office, a ballot measure committee, or other person for election, scholarly, journalistic, political, or governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State. Driver's license and social security numbers, or your signature as shown on your voter registration card, cannot be released for these purposes.

If you have any questions about the use of voter information or wish to report suspected misuse of such information, please call the Secretary of State's Voter Protection and Assistance Hotline.

How to make your voter record confidential.

Voters facing life-threatening situations may qualify for confidential voter status. There are two options:

  • The Safe at Home program provides victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault and human trafficking, as well as reproductive health care workers a way to thwart abusers from finding them at home, at work and at school. For more information, please click here to contact the Secretary of State's Safe At Home program.
  • Court-ordered confidentiality. You must petition the Superior Court to order your voter record to be confidential if you can show good cause for a life-threatening circumstance. For more information, please see Elections Code Section 2166. Please click here for a sample pleading.

Public safety officers in Santa Cruz County may also obtain confidential voter registration status. Please review this Peace Office Packet, complete this form, and submit it to the Santa Cruz County Elections Department. 

Are you living overseas or a member of the military?

You must register and request a vote-by-mail (absentee) ballot in your State of legal residence by completing the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and submit it to your local elections office. For California voters, the website is www.fvap.gov/california

Voters who claim a residence address in Santa Cruz County must mail their FPCA to Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections, 701 Ocean St., Room 310, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. FPCA cards may also be faxed or emailed as long as the hard copy with the original signature is mailed. FAX number is 831-454-2445 and email John Beck at john.beck@santacruzcountyca.gov

Help America Vote Act of 2002

For information concerning the Help America Vote Act of 2002, visit the Secretary of State's web site at www.sos.ca.gov.

Youth Vote

If you will be 18 on or before the next Election Day, you may use the California Online Registration.

California law also allows 16 and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote online or complete a voter registration card. The young voters are activated as soon as they are 18 years old. 

For more information on the youth vote, go to: