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Because people still die to obtain this right, THAT’S why. (Besides, you may still decide that you hate a candidate particular enough this year to vote against them!)
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS:
MONDAY, October 22 is your last day to register to vote in the most important midterm election of our lifetimes! (Note: no warranty on this claim.)
Register online: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/
Confirm that you’re already registered at the correct address (important!):https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status/
Get out there and make your voice heard on November 6!
(Tomorrow, on the other hand is Mole Day, from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. of 10/23 That’s nice too. It’s part of Chemistry Week! But it’s not, you know, securing your precious right to vote level nice….)
Register today (October 22), and your vote is a full-on vote like every other. California Secretary of State – https://registertovote.ca.gov/ – processes it in a couple days, and it takes a few minutes.
After today, California voters can still do a conditional registration at the Registrar of Voters (for OC residents, that’s in Santa Ana), or go to a registrar-operated voter assistance center during their hours of operation (check with the registrar).
There’s a meme circulating advising people to just show up at the polling station and try to cast a provisional ballot. I cannot tell if that is just bad advice, or intentional sabotage – so many provisional ballots get tossed each cycle…
From ocvote.com
I spoke to someone from that office and I understood that applications could still be mailed in and then go to an early voting center and vote provisionally.
Conditional Voter Registration FAQs
What is Conditional Voter Registration?
Conditional voter registration extends the existing 15-day registration deadline in California to eligible voters, allowing them to register and vote provisionally 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day at the Registrar of Voters office or at any Early Vote Center Location during the 10 day early voting period. For more information on early voting, click here.
Best bet is to go to an OC Registrar site and do the full on registration. Much greater risk if they go to a polling station and attempt same day registration.
I’m really bothered by the FB meme advising people to do that. Not only does it put their vote at risk, it also may cut them out from voting on local measures, and may result in long lines at some places that discourage folks from voting at all.