State and Federal Voter Identification Requirements

In most cases, California voters are not required to show identification before casting ballots. If you are voting for the first time after registering by mail and did not provide your driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your social security number on the registration card, you may be asked to show a form of identification when you go to the polls. Make sure you bring identification with you to the polls or include a copy of it with your vote-by-mail ballot. Following is a partial list of the more than 30 acceptable forms of identification. You can also visit the Secretary of State's website and look for "Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Identification Standards" at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_regs.htm.