Can you register to vote on Election Day?
ELECTION DAY: Polls open 7AM until 8PM, after unexpectedly large early voter turnout saw lines in Contra Costa County
Election officials throughout the Bay Area are expecting very high voter turnout for this November 5th election, with estimates of 85% or more registered voters taking part in this historic presidential election and many hotly contested down-ballot races.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - You haven’t registered to vote, and it’s Election Day. Can you still cast a ballot in California?
The deadline to register to vote in Tuesday’s general election was Oct. 21. In California, the deadline to register to vote for any election is 15 days before Election Day.
But there’s a safety net implemented in state law that allows for same-day registration.
The Secretary of State’s Office says under "Conditional Voter Registration," those who have missed the deadline or failed to update their registration information can still vote on the day of an election.
But you have to register in-person at a county elections office, polling place, or vote center, where you will be handed a ballot.
And the ballot will not be processed and counted until the county elections office verifies the registration.
SEE ALSO: Where to watch live election results
You must be an eligible citizen, which includes being a California resident and at least 18-years-old. Those currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony and/or are currently deemed mentally incompetent to vote by a court are ineligible.
In California, polls close at 8 p.m.
Click here to look up a local polling location.
You can also look up your registration status here.