Voting Basics: Casting a Ballot
Click on a question below to find answers about Casting a Ballot:
Check your voter
registration status
by using the
Alameda County
Registrar of Voters
- How Do I Vote?
- How Do I Vote at the Polls on Election Day?
- How Do I Vote Early in Person?
- How Do I Vote by Mail?
- Do I Have to Show ID to Vote?
How Do I Vote?
In Alameda County you can vote in person at your polling place on Election Day, vote early in person at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters Office before Election Day, or vote by mail.
How Do I Vote at the Polls on Election Day?
- October 5 - November 3, 2020 at the Registrar of Voters office at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612.
- October 31 - November 3, 2020 at any Accessible Voting Locations near you.
How Do I Vote Early in Person?
- October 5 - November 3, 2020 at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters office,1225 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94612.
- October 31 - November 3, 2020 at any Accessible Voting Locations near you.
How Do I Vote by Mail?
Pursuant to Executive Order N-64-20, all registered voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 3, 2020 election, starting October 5. Registered voters do not need to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot.
Mail your ballot on or before November 3, (postmark deadline), or drop it off by 8:00p.m on November 3 at:
- any 24-Hour Ballot Drop Box location
- any of the Accessible Voting Locations
Do I Have to Show ID to Vote?
Only when you register to vote will you need to provide your California driver’s license or ID card number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- On Election Day you are not required to show identification at the polling place unless:
- You are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide your driver license number, California identification number or the last four digits of your social security number on your registration form. In this case you may be asked to show a form of identification when you go to the polls. A copy of a recent utility bill, the sample ballot booklet you received from your county elections office or another document sent to you by a government agency are examples of acceptable forms of identification. Other acceptable forms of identification include your passport, driver license, official state identification card, or student identification card showing your name and photograph.
- Visit the California Secretary of State for more information on acceptable identification