California Secretary of State Reminds Voters of Their Rights Ahead of 2024 Election

California officials want to remind people that they have specific rights related to voting that they should be aware of before they head to the polls.

“Californians should review the Voter Bill of Rights before heading to the polls to ensure a smooth voting experience,” said Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D.

“I urge voters to take the time to know their rights before heading to the polls.”

The California Voter Bill of Rights is printed in the Voter Information Guide sent to every active registered voting household in the state. It will also be posted in every polling location and vote center.  

The Voter Bill of Rights is also available online and available in ten languages online. An informational video is also available here.

The Voter Bill of Rights contains crucial voting rights information that people may otherwise not be aware of having.

For example, people have the right to vote if they are still in line when the polls close. It is important that voters understand this, and do not leave their place in line just because it is 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. 

Voters also have the right to cast a secret ballot without anyone bothering them or telling them how to vote. 

Registered voters also have the right to vote even if their name is not on the list at their polling place. If that is the case, they will be provided a provisional ballot, and their vote will be counted if elections officials determine they are eligible to vote. 

Voters have the right to get a new ballot if they have made a mistake and have not already cast their ballot. They also have the right to drop off their completed vote-by-mail ballot at any polling location or vote center. 

If a voter needs help at the polls, they have the right to ask questions of election officials about election procedures and they have the right to watch the election process.

They also have the right to get help casting their ballot if needed. 

Voters have the right to get election materials in a language other than English if enough people in their voting precinct speak that language. 

It is also a right to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity to elections officials or the Secretary of State’s Office. 

The Secretary of State’s Voter Information Hotline is available for all voters if they have questions about the voting process or if they need to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity. The hotline is available in multiple languages and formats. More information can be found here.

Anyone who is uncertain of their voter registration status can quickly check it online at this link.

Voters can track their ballot by signing up to automatically receive text, email, or voice status alerts, including information about whether their ballot has been received, counted, or needs to be corrected before their ballot can be counted. 

A complete list of dropbox locations can be found on the Secretary of State’s Early Voting and Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-off Locations webpage.