Voting Rights: Individuals with a Criminal History

Individuals with a criminal history who can register to vote:

• In county jail:

  • Serving a misdemeanor sentence (a misdemeanor never affects your right to vote)

  • Serving jail time as a condition of probation (misdemeanor or felony)

  • Serving a felony jail sentence

  • Awaiting trial

• On probation

• On parole

• On mandatory supervision

• On post-release community supervision

• On federal supervised release

• A person with a juvenile wardship adjudication

Individuals with a criminal history who cannot register and vote:

• Currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony in imprisoned in:

  • State prison

  • Federal prison

  • County jail or other correctional facility*

Once you have finished serving your term, your right to vote is restored. However, you must re-register online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov or by filling out a paper voter registration card.

*California Penal Code section 2910 allows the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to make agreements with local governments to house felons in a county jail or other correctional facility. A person serving a state prison sentence who is housed in a local jail or other facility under these circumstances is not allowed to register and vote.

For more information, please visit the Secretary of State’s website

https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california/who-can-vote-california/voting-rights-californians/

Monterey County Elections offers an inmate voting program for those voters who are eligible but currently incarcerated in Monterey County Jail. For more information, please call our office at (831) 796-1499.