Article 1. General Provisions of California Elections Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.

The registration of a voter is permanent for all purposes during his or her life, unless and until the affidavit of registration is canceled by the county elections official for any of the causes specified in this article.

The registration of a voter is permanent for all purposes during his or her life, unless and until the affidavit of registration is canceled by the Secretary of State or the county elections official for any of the causes specified in this article.

The county elections official shall cancel the registration in the following cases:
  (a) At the signed, written request of the person registered.
  (b) When the mental incompetency of the person registered is legally established as provided in Sections 2208, 2209, 2210, and 2211.
  (c) Upon proof that the person is presently imprisoned or on parole for conviction of a felony.
  (d) Upon the production of a certified copy of a judgment directing the cancellation to be made.
  (e) Upon the death of the person registered.
  (f) Pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 2220).
  (g) Upon official notification that the voter is registered to vote in another county or state.
  (h) Upon proof that the person is otherwise ineligible to vote.

(a) The county elections official shall cancel the registration in the following cases:
  (1) At the signed, written request of the person registered.
  (2) When the mental incompetency of the person registered is legally established as provided in Sections 2208, 2209, 2210, and 2211.
  (3) Upon proof that the person is presently imprisoned or on parole for conviction of a felony.
  (4) Upon the production of a certified copy of a judgment directing the cancellation to be made.
  (5) Upon the death of the person registered.
  (6) Pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 2220).
  (7) Upon official notification that the voter is registered to vote in another state.
  (8) Upon proof that the person is otherwise ineligible to vote.
  (b) The Secretary of State may cancel the registration in the following cases:
  (1) When the mental incompetency of the person registered is legally established as provided in Sections 2208, 2209, 2210, and 2211.
  (2) Upon proof that the person is presently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony.
  (3) Upon the death of the person registered.

(a) The county elections official shall preserve all uncanceled affidavits of registration in a secure manner that will protect the confidentiality of the voter information consistent with Section 2194. The affidavits of registration shall constitute the register required to be kept by Article 5 (commencing with Section 2180) of Chapter 2.
  (b) In lieu of maintaining uncanceled affidavits of registration, the county elections official may, following the first general election after the date of registration, microfilm, record on optical disc, or record on any other electronic medium that does not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document, the uncanceled affidavits of registration. Any such use of an electronic medium to record uncanceled affidavits shall protect the security and confidentiality of the voter information. The county elections official may dispose of any uncanceled affidavits of registration transferred pursuant to this section. The disposal of any uncanceled affidavits shall be performed in a manner that does not compromise the security or confidentiality of the voter information contained therein. Any medium utilized by the county elections official shall meet the minimum standards, guidelines, or both, as recommended by the American National Standards Institute or the Association of Information and Image Management. For purposes of this section, a duplicate copy of an affidavit of registration shall be deemed an original.

(a) The county elections official shall preserve all uncanceled affidavits of registration in a secure manner that will protect the confidentiality of the voter information consistent with Section 2194. The affidavits of registration shall constitute the register required to be kept by Article 5 (commencing with Section 2183) of Chapter 2.
  (b) In lieu of maintaining uncanceled affidavits of registration, the county elections official may microfilm, record on optical disc, or record on any other electronic medium that does not permit additions, deletions, or changes to the original document, the uncanceled affidavits of registration. Any such use of an electronic medium to record uncanceled affidavits shall protect the security and confidentiality of the voter information. The county elections official may dispose of any uncanceled affidavits of registration transferred pursuant to this section. The disposal of any uncanceled affidavits shall be performed in a manner that does not compromise the security or confidentiality of the voter information contained therein. For purposes of this section, a duplicate copy of an affidavit of registration shall be deemed an original. The Secretary of State may adopt appropriate regulations for the purpose of this section.

(a) Cancellation is made by writing or stamping on the affidavit of registration the word "canceled," the reason the affidavit was canceled, and the date of cancellation.
  (b) Whenever a voter transfers his or her registration from one precinct to another precinct in the same county, or reregisters in another precinct in the same county as shown by the new affidavit of registration, the county elections official shall immediately cancel the affidavit of registration from the precinct in which the voter was first registered, and shall remove the affidavit from the file of uncanceled affidavits.
  (c) Except as provided in Section 2119, whenever a voter removes from one county to another county and registers in the latter county, the county elections official of the county in which he or she was first registered, upon being informed of his or her removal either by the voter personally or by receipt of a notice of reregistration under Section 2118, shall likewise cancel his or her registration and remove the affidavit of registration in that county.
  (d) The county elections official in distributing to each precinct the three indexes of registration, as required by Section 2189, shall cross out of those indexes the names of all voters whose affidavits of registration from the precinct have been canceled.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever a voter changes his or her residence within the same precinct, the voter's affidavit of registration shall not be cancelled. Whenever notified by the voter, the elections official shall change the voter's affidavit of registration to reflect the new residence address within the same precinct.

The local registrar of births and deaths shall notify the county elections official not later than the 15th day of each month of all deceased persons 18 years of age and over, whose deaths were registered with him or her or of whose deaths he or she was notified by the state registrar of vital statistics during the preceding month. This notification shall include at least the name, sex, age, birthplace, birthdate, place of residence, date and place of death of each decedent. The county elections official shall cancel the affidavit of registration of each deceased voter.

The local registrar of births and deaths shall notify the county elections official not later than the 15th day of each month of all deceased persons 16 years of age and over, whose deaths were registered with him or her or of whose deaths he or she was notified by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics during the preceding month. This notification shall include at least the name, sex, age, birthplace, birth date, place of residence, and date and place of death of each decedent. The county elections official shall cancel the affidavit of registration of the deceased voter.

The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. The data shall be used by county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.

The Secretary of State shall adopt regulations to facilitate the availability of death statistics from the State Department of Health Services. The data shall be used by the Secretary of State or county elections officials in canceling the affidavit of registration of deceased persons.

(a) A person is presumed competent to vote regardless of his or her conservatorship status. A person shall be deemed mentally incompetent, and therefore disqualified from voting, if, during the course of any of the proceedings set forth below, the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person cannot communicate, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, and any of the following apply:
  (1) A conservator for the person or the person and estate is appointed pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 1400) of the Probate Code.
  (2) A conservator for the person or the person and estate is appointed pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
  (3) A conservator is appointed for the person pursuant to proceedings initiated under Section 5352.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the person has been found not competent to stand trial, and the person's trial or judgment has been suspended pursuant to Section 1370 of the Penal Code.
  (4) A person has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, has been found to be not guilty pursuant to Section 1026 of the Penal Code, and is deemed to be gravely disabled at the time of judgment as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (h) of Section 5008 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
  (b) If the proceeding under the Welfare and Institutions Code is heard by a jury, the jury shall unanimously find by clear and convincing evidence that the person cannot communicate, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process before the person shall be disqualified from voting.
  (c) If an order establishing a conservatorship is made and in connection with the order it is found by clear and convincing evidence that the person cannot communicate, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, the court shall forward the order and determination to the Secretary of State and the county elections official of the person's county of residence in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State.
  (d) A person shall not be disqualified from voting pursuant to this section on the basis that he or she does, or would need to do, any of the following to complete an affidavit of voter registration:
  (1) Signs the affidavit of voter registration with a mark or a cross pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2150.
  (2) Signs the affidavit of voter registration by means of a signature stamp pursuant to Section 354.5.
  (3) Completes the affidavit of voter registration with the assistance of another person pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2150.
  (4) Completes the affidavit of voter registration with reasonable accommodations.

(a) For conservatorships established pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 1400) of the Probate Code, the court investigator shall, during the yearly or biennial review of the conservatorship as required by Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1850) of Part 3 of Division 4 of the Probate Code, review the person' s capability of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process.
  (b) If the person has been disqualified from voting by reason of being incapable of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, or by reason of being incapable of completing an affidavit of voter registration, the court investigator shall determine if the person continues to be incapable of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, and the investigator shall so inform the court. If the investigator determines that the person continues to be incapable of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, a court hearing on the issue is unnecessary. If the investigator finds that the person is not incapable of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, the court shall hold a hearing to determine if, by clear and convincing evidence, the person cannot communicate, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process. Unless the person is found incapable of communicating that desire, the person's right to register to vote shall be restored, and the court shall so notify the Secretary of State and the county elections official in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State.
  (c) If the person has not been found incapable of communicating, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process, and the court investigator determines that the person is no longer capable of communicating that desire, the investigator shall so notify the court. The court shall hold a hearing to determine if, by clear and convincing evidence, the person cannot communicate, with or without reasonable accommodations, a desire to participate in the voting process. If the court determines that the person cannot communicate that desire, the court shall order the person to be disqualified from voting pursuant to Section 2208, and the court shall so notify the Secretary of State and the county elections official in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State.

(a) If the person or the person and estate is under a conservatorship established pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the person may contest his or her disqualification from voting pursuant to the procedure set forth in Section 5358.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
  (b) When the conservatorship described in subdivision (a) terminates after one year, the person's right to register to vote shall also be automatically restored and notification to the appropriate county elections official shall be made. If a petition is filed for the reappointment of the conservator, a new determination shall be made as to whether the person should be disqualified from voting.
  (c) If the right to vote is restored pursuant to Section 5358.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or if the conservatorship is terminated in a proceeding held pursuant to Section 5364 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the court shall notify the county elections official of the person's county of residence that the person's right to register to vote is restored.

(a) If the person or the person and estate is under a conservatorship established pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5350) of Part 1 of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the person may contest his or her disqualification from voting pursuant to the procedure set forth in Section 5358.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
  (b) When the conservatorship described in subdivision (a) terminates after one year, the person's right to register to vote shall also be automatically restored and notification shall be made to the Secretary of State and the county elections official in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State. If a petition is filed for the reappointment of the conservator, a new determination shall be made as to whether the person should be disqualified from voting.
  (c) If the right to vote is restored pursuant to Section 5358.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or if the conservatorship is terminated in a proceeding held pursuant to Section 5364 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the court shall notify the Secretary of State and the county elections official of the person's county of residence in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State that the person's right to register to vote is restored.

(a) Any person who (1) has plead not guilty by reason of insanity and who has been found to be not guilty pursuant to Section 1026 of the Penal Code, (2) has been found incompetent to stand trial and whose trial or judgment has been suspended pursuant to Section 1370 of the Penal Code, (3) has been convicted of a felony and who was judicially determined to be a mentally disordered sex offender pursuant to former Section 6300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as repealed by Chapter 928 of the Statutes of 1981, or (4) has been convicted of a felony and is being treated at a state hospital pursuant to Section 2684 of the Penal Code shall be disqualified from voting or registering to vote during that time that the person is involuntarily confined, pursuant to a court order, in a public or private facility.
  (b) Upon the order of commitment to a treatment facility referred to in subdivision (a), the court shall notify the elections official of the county of residence of the person and order the person to be disqualified from voting or registering to vote.
  (c) If the person is later released from the public or private treatment facility, the court shall notify the county elections official of the county of residence of the person that the right of the person to register to vote is restored.

(a) Any person who (1) has plead not guilty by reason of insanity and who has been found to be not guilty pursuant to Section 1026 of the Penal Code, (2) has been found incompetent to stand trial and whose trial or judgment has been suspended pursuant to Section 1370 of the Penal Code, (3) has been convicted of a felony and who was judicially determined to be a mentally disordered sex offender pursuant to former Section 6300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as repealed by Chapter 928 of the Statutes of 1981, or (4) has been convicted of a felony and is being treated at a state hospital pursuant to Section 2684 of the Penal Code shall be disqualified from voting or registering to vote during that time that the person is involuntarily confined, pursuant to a court order, in a public or private facility.
  (b) Upon the order of commitment to a treatment facility referred to in subdivision (a), the court shall notify the Secretary of State and the county elections official of the person's county of residence in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State and order the person to be disqualified from voting or registering to vote.
  (c) If the person is later released from the public or private treatment facility, the court shall notify the Secretary of State and the county elections official of the person's county of residence in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State that the right of the person to register to vote is restored.

The clerk of the superior court of each county, on the basis of the records of the court, shall furnish to the chief elections official of the county, not less frequently than the first day of April and the first day of September of each year, a statement showing the names, addresses, and dates of birth of all persons who have been convicted of felonies since the clerk's last report. The elections official shall, during the first week of April and the first week of September in each year, cancel the affidavits of registration of those persons who are currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony. The clerk shall certify the statement under the seal of the court.

The clerk of the superior court of each county, on the basis of the records of the court, shall furnish to the Secretary of State and the county elections official in the format prescribed by the Secretary of State, not less frequently than the first day of every month, a statement showing the names, addresses, and dates of birth of all persons who have been convicted of felonies since the clerk's last report. The Secretary of State or county elections official shall cancel the affidavits of registration of those persons who are currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony. The clerk shall certify the statement under the seal of the court.

Any person may proceed by action in the superior court to compel the county elections official to cancel any registration made illegally or which should be canceled by reason of facts that have occurred subsequent to the registration. If the voter whose registration is sought to be canceled is not a party to the action, the court may order him or her to be made a party defendant. The county elections official and as many persons against whom there are causes of action may be joined as defendants.