There are state laws and judicial rulings that support the right of a person who is experiencing homelessness to register to vote. But that doesn't mean the process is easy to figure out.
If you're unhoused and want to vote, this FAQ is intended to help address some of the most common concerns, such as:
If you’re one of those people, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
You can start with our quick illustrated overview below. You can also download a flyer version of this FAQ that you can share. Email us at engagement@scpr.org if you would like LAist to ship or drop off copies.
Keep reading for more in-depth answers. All of this is specifically for people who are experiencing homelessness. If you don’t find your question or answer below, head to our main voter FAQ.
You don’t have to have a permanent address in order to register to vote.
When you register, you can list the nearest cross streets or use similar location details to describe the place where you are living. After that, you can vote at any polling station in Los Angeles County.
The deadline to register online to vote is May 23. You can also register to vote in-person all the way through Election Day. It's called same-day voter registration.
Yes, you can. If you do not have a government-issued identification card, you can register with the last four digits of your social security number.
If you don’t know your social security number or you don’t have one, you can still register. Leave the box asking for your identification information blank, and your county elections official will assign a number to you that will be used to identify you as a voter.
Yes, California offers same-day voter registration. That means you can go to any polling station and register and vote at the same time.
However, if you did not register to vote in advance, you will vote with a provisional ballot and your ballot will only be counted once your voter registration has been verified.
Provisional ballots have been used in California since 1984. Provisional ballots are placed in pink envelopes, secured for processing and counted after elections officials confirm the validity of the voter registration and make sure two votes weren’t cast. According to the California Secretary of State, on average, 85% to 90% of provisional ballots were valid and counted in prior elections.
If you don’t have a government-issued identification card and don’t know your social security number or don’t have one, it may take longer to verify your ballot.
The polls open on May 28 in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
All California voters with a mailing address are sent a mail-in ballot. If you do not list a mailing address, you will not receive a mail-in ballot and will have to vote in person at a polling station.
However, if there is a place where you can reliably receive mail, such as a PO Box or a friend's house, you can list that place as your mailing address. The voter registration form allows you to list a home address and indicate that you have a separate mailing address. (Your home address should reflect where you are living. You could list the nearest cross streets or give other descriptions.)
You can put any place that has agreed to receive your mail in the mailing address box.
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is May 31.
You can return your mail-in ballot several ways:
Be sure to sign your ballot with the signature that matches what the registrar has on file (probably your ID signature). Again, no worries about stamps! Postage is free for all mail-in ballots in the state of California.
If you are registered to vote in Los Angeles County, you can vote at any polling station in the county. It’s OK if it’s a different city than the one you live in. You can find a list of polling locations here, 30 to 40 days before an election. If you are registered to vote in Orange County, you can vote at any polling station in Orange County. Polls open for early voting in Los Angeles and Orange counties on May 28.
The following nonprofits working with unhoused people will also serve as mobile vote centers:
LA Family Housing: Winn Community Room, 6843 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood
Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN): 838 E. 6th Street, Los Angeles
My Friend's Place: Parking lot at 5850 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood
If you’re not sure where to go to cast a vote, you can call the L.A. County Registrar at (800) 815-2666. You can also reach out to nonprofits that work with unhoused people.
If you’re in places such as Skid Row, Hollywood, or South L.A., organizations like the Downtown Women’s Center, LA CAN and Spread the Vote will be doing outreach to unhoused voters. You may see a lot of activity a week or even a few days before voting.
If you’re unhoused and not in an area where there is heavy outreach, the Los Angeles Community Action Network urges you to reach out to one of these organizations so they can connect you to the information you need to cast a vote:
Spread the Vote will also help voters get to polling locations in certain areas. Call or text 323-694-0738 or go to spreadthevote.org to find out more about assistance getting to a polling location.
If you know of an organization interested in becoming a mobile voting center, they can register on the registrar's website.
The county recommends a few safety protocols to protect from COVID-19 if you’re voting in person.
Service animals are allowed in polling stations, but other types of pets are typically not.
L.A. Family Housing, L.A. Community Action Network, and My Friend's Place will assist voters who arrive with pets or belongings that can't be brought into their mobile vote centers. Those details are above.
Poll workers aren’t allowed to discriminate against people experiencing homelessness or keep them from casting a vote. If you run into issues, you should ask to speak to the person in charge of that polling station. If they don't help you, call the California Secretary of State's voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683) for English or (800) 345-VOTA (8682) for Spanish.
One of the biggest barriers to voting, regardless of whether you are housed or unhoused, is the same: getting the information you need to make a decision.
First, you can explore our full Voter Game Plan to help you figure it all out. You can also reach us by submitting a question in the "Ask a question" box below, at engagement@scpr.org, or by text by texting the word "ELECTION" to 855-458-8317.
In addition, two local nonprofits publish their own voter guides: Keep an eye out for guides from California Calls, an alliance of community based organizations that takes input from organizations working on the ground with unhoused people, and Spread the Vote, which provides nonpartisan description of candidates, what the job is, and what your rights are as a voter.
These guides can be found at shelters and other nonprofits as Election Day draws closer.
And finally, you can always call your county elections office with any questions. A full list of California elections offices is available here.]
Download a flyer version of this FAQ here. Feel free to share it. You can also email us at engagement@scpr.org if you would like LAist to ship or drop off copies.
