Print Version (PDF)

California Voter Registration Report Shows
Continued Increase of Voters with No Party Preference

SACRAMENTO - A new all-time high percentage of California voters, 20.4 percent, have no party preference, according to the latest Report of Registration released today by Secretary of State Debra Bowen. The previous record for the proportion of unaffiliated voters was 20.25 percent of all registered voters, reported in October 2010.

A total of 17,186,531 Californians are registered to vote. The Report of Registration reflects updates to voter registration rolls in California's 58 counties, including the removal of registrants who have passed away, moved out of state, or have been determined to be ineligible to vote, as well as the addition of new registrants.

"In an 'off-year' during which no statewide election is scheduled, registering to vote is not at the forefront of people's minds," said Secretary Bowen, California's chief elections officer. "However, local elections continue throughout the state, and it is not uncommon for special elections to be called on short notice, so it is always important to keep your voter registration current."

Registering to vote is easier than ever, thanks to the Secretary of State's fillable online form at www.sos.ca.gov/nvrc/fedform, which just needs to be printed, signed and mailed. (The form is even pre-addressed to the registrant's county elections office.) Californians can also pick up a voter registration form at any U.S. post office, public library or county elections office.

The newly released registration report shows 72.8 percent of eligible Californians are registered to vote, down from 74.4 percent two years ago. (Eligibility figures are always unofficial but based on U.S. Census data, as adjusted by information from the California Department of Finance and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. New U.S. Census data was not yet available when this report was compiled.) Of those registered, 44 percent are registered with the Democratic Party, 30.9 percent are registered with the Republican Party, and 3.97 percent are registered with one of four other qualified political parties.

The complete February 10, 2011, Report of Registration can be found on the Secretary of State's website at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/ror-pages/ror-odd-year-11.

By law, statewide voter registration updates must occur 60 and 15 days before each general election, and 154, 60 and 15 days before each primary election. One update is published in each odd-numbered year with no regularly scheduled statewide election.

The registration totals for the seven qualified political parties and voters who have no party preference follow.

Follow more state election news via Twitter at http://twitter.com/CASOSvote.

###