Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Asst. Chief Elections Officer & Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
(Redwood City, CA) Mark Church, San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, reminds voters that today, October 19, 2026, is the deadline to register to vote in order to receive a Vote by Mail ballot for the November 3, 2026 Statewide General Election.
Eligible voters who miss the registration deadline may register online at registertovote.ca.gov until 11:59 p.m. on October 19 to receive a Vote by Mail ballot. Voter registration applications sent by mail must be postmarked on or before October 19, 2026.
Voter registration forms are available at the following locations:
- Registration & Elections Division (40 Tower Road, San Mateo);
- Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder’s Office (555 County Center, Redwood City);
- Any of the County’s Vote Centers;
- City and Town Halls;
- Department of Motor Vehicles Offices;
- Post Offices; and
- Public Libraries.
To be eligible to register to vote, a person must be:
- A U.S. citizen and a resident of California;
- At least 18 years old by Election Day;
- Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony; and
- Not currently deemed by a court to be mentally incompetent to register to vote.
Eligible 16 and 17 year olds may pre-register to vote. Persons who pre-register will automatically become registered voters on their 18th birthday. Ballots have been mailed to those pre-registered if their 18th birthday is on or before November 3, 2026. Individuals who turn 18 on or before November 3 but did not pre-register by October 19 must visit a Vote Center for Conditional Voter Registration.
All voters can check their registration status online at www.smcvote.gov by clicking the “My Election Info” button.
Conditional Voter Registration (CVR)
Voters who miss the October 19, 2026 voter registration deadline may still register to vote through Conditional Voter Registration. Eligible voters may complete the process at any Vote Center through 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026.
When a conditional ballot is cast, the Registration & Elections Division processes the registration, determines the individual’s eligibility, and validates the individual’s information. If the voter is eligible to vote in San Mateo County and has not voted elsewhere in the state, their registration becomes permanent, and their conditional ballot will be counted.
Voting Rights for Persons on Parole
In 2020, California voters approved a constitutional amendment restoring voting rights to individuals on parole for felony convictions. Whether or not the individual was previously registered to vote, a new voter registration application must be completed once the individual finishes serving their term.
Early Voting Period October 5 to November 2
All registered San Mateo County voters will be mailed a Vote by Mail ballot in October 2026 for the November 3, 2026 Statewide General Election. Three vote centers are open for in-person voting, with seven additional Vote Centers opening on October 24.
For more information about the November 3, 2026 Statewide General Election, call or text (650) 312-5222, visit www.smcacre.gov, or follow us on X @smcvote and Instagram @sanmateocountyvote