A record 19,432,609 state residents— or 77.92 percent of eligible Californians— are registered to vote, according to Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who this week released The Report of Registration, a compilation of voter registration numbers reported by the 58 county elections offices. The report reflects registration data through Feb. 10, 2017.
“Voter registration in California continues to climb, following a historic 2016 election year, where a record 14.6 million Californians cast ballots in the November General Election,” Padilla said. “Typically voter registration declines after an election. I am proud that California citizens continue to break our state’s voter registration record. It is clear that Californians are engaged and want to be active participants in our democracy.”
Padilla added that, while the next statewide election is not until 2018, many counties and cities are holding local elections in 2017.
“It is important to make sure that your voter registration is up to date,” Padilla said. “Don’t miss out on an opportunity to shape your community’s future.”
Californians who need to register for the first time or re-register because they have moved or changed their name can do so in minutes by visiting RegisterToVote.ca.gov. Those who are unsure of their voter registration status can check it at VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov.
Since the last odd-numbered year report of registration on Feb. 10:
• The total voter registration in the state increased from 17,717,936 to 19,432,609.
• The percentage of eligible Californians who are registered to vote increased from 72.7 percent to 77.9 percent.
• The percentage of voters who have no party preference increased from 23.6 percent to 24.5 percent.
• The percentage of voters registered with a qualified political party decreased from 75.6 percent to 74.9 percent.
• The percentage of voters registered with the Democratic Party increased from 43.2 percent to 44.8 percent.
• The percentage of voters registered with the Republican Party decreased from 28 percent to 25.9 percent.
Source: Padilla’s office
