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You can register to vote any time of year, but you must be registered for 15 days before an election to vote in it. (Provisional ballots, which will be issued to anyone whose name doesn’t show up on the voter roster on Election Day, are counted only if you’re already a registered voter.) Registration forms are available online through the California Secretary of State at www.ss.ca.gov/elections. The state voter assistance hotline is 800-345-8683 for English, 800-232-8682 for Spanish and 800-833-8683 TDD.

Paper forms are available locally at fire stations, libraries, post offices, Department of Motor Vehicles locations, some utility offices and the Kern County Elections Division, located on the first floor of the County Administrative Center, 1115 Truxtun Ave. For details, call the elections department at 868-3590 or 800-452-8683, or go to elections.co.kern.ca.us/elections.

If you have never registered to vote before, you are eligible to do so if you meet the following criteria:

• You are a United States citizen
• You are a resident of California
• You are at least 18 years old, or will be by the date of the election
• You are not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony
• You have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote

If you were registered to vote at your previous address, you’ll need to re-register if any of the following conditions apply:

• If you have moved from the address where you were registered
• If you change your name
• If you change your political party

Registering to vote is a fairly simple process.  It can be done at any time of the year, but you do need to be registered a minimum of 15 days before an election in order to be able to vote in it.  (Provisional ballots, which will be issued to anyone whose name doesn’t show up on the voter roster on Election Day, will be counted only if you’re already a registered voter.) Registration forms are available online through the California Secretary of State.

The state voter-assistance hotline is available to answer additional questions you may have regarding voter registration:

1-800-345-8683 for English
1-800-232-8682 for Spanish
1-800-339-2857 for Chinese
1-800-339-8163 for Vietnamese
1-800-339-2865 for Japanese
1-866-575-1558 for Korean
1-800-833-8683 TDD for deaf callers.

Paper forms are available locally at fire stations, libraries, post offices, Department of Motor Vehicles locations, some utility offices and the Kern County Elections Division, located on the first floor of the county administrative center, 1115 Truxtun Ave. For details, call the elections department at 868-3590 or 1-800-452-8683.