2024 Voter Guide

February 21, 2024
2024 Voter Guide

CAIR-LA’s 2024 Voter Guide is designed to help Muslim voters prepare for the primary election on March 5, 2024. It provides all the information needed to vote confidently, including how to register, when important deadlines are, and details on the voting process. The guide also explains the California State Legislature and local government and offers specific information on races in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. Its goal is to make sure Muslim voters can actively and effectively participate in the election. 

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Note: The purpose of this guide is to empower Muslim voters for effective participation. As a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, CAIR-LA cannot endorse candidates for office or advocate for party preference.

  • Primary Elections: Political parties use primary elections to select their candidates for the general election in November, where the chosen candidates from each party compete.
  • Open Primary: Voters can participate in any party’s primary regardless of their own political affiliation, but they can only choose one party’s primary to vote in. This system varies by state, especially for absentee voters. 
  • Importance of Primaries: 
    • Voter Influence: Primaries allow voters to help pick their party’s general election candidates. 
    • Voter Participation: High turnout can lead to more moderate candidates and influence party strategy. 
    • Strategy Adjustments: Parties may change tactics based on primary results and turnout. 
    • Influence of Non-Winners: Candidates who don’t win can still affect the party’s final choice and platform. 

  • Presidential Primaries: Your party affiliation is important. Parties may hold: 
    • Closed Primaries: Only voters registered with the party can vote. 
    • Modified-Closed Primaries: Both party members and unaffiliated voters can participate. 
  • Impact of Party Registration: Your chosen political party determines which presidential candidates you can vote for in the primary election. 
  • Changing Party Preference: To change your party for voting in primaries, you need to re-register with your new party choice. 
  • No Party Preference Option: 
    • Voters who register without a party affiliation can still vote for presidential candidates from the American Independent, Democratic, and Libertarian parties by requesting their ballots. 
    • To vote for presidential candidates from the Green, Peace & Freedom, or Republican parties, you must be registered with that party. 
  • Congressional and State Legislative Races: Party preference does not affect your ability to vote in these elections. 

Eligible Voters MUST be:  

  1. U.S. citizens  
  2. 18 years or older 
  3. Not currently in state or federal prison for a felony 
  4. Not court-determined to be mentally incompetent to vote. 

Fill out the registration form online at registertovote.ca.gov or call 1-800-345-8683 to get a form 

  1. Online Registration:
  • Required information: California driver’s license or ID card number, date of birth, and last four digits of your Social Security number. 
  • Deadline: Tuesday, Feb. 20. 
  1. Mail and In-Person Registration:
  • Obtain forms at county elections offices, DMV offices, select public libraries, U.S. post offices, and other government locations. 
  • Call 800-345-8683 or your county elections office for a mailed form. 
  • Completed forms must be postmarked or delivered by Tuesday, Feb. 20. 

Missed Regular Registration? 

California offers conditional registration (also known as same-day registration) if you miss the regular registration deadline. This means you can register and vote at your county elections office, polling place or county vote center within 14 days of an election. For the primary, conditional registration runs from Wednesday, Feb. 21, through Election Day (Tuesday, March 5) at 8 p.m. 

1) Automatic Ballot Mailing: Registered voters automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot starting Monday, Feb. 5.

  • Replacement Ballots:
    • Online: Download and complete the application from your county elections office website, then mail or deliver it.
    • Phone/In-Person: Contact your county elections office to request a replacement ballot.

2) Application Deadline: Your completed application must be received by Tuesday, Feb. 27.

Returning Vote-by-Mail Ballot:

  • By Mail: Must be postmarked by Election Day (Tuesday, March 5) and received by Tuesday, March 12. Make sure to SEAL and SIGN the back of the Envelope
  • In Person: Return to any polling place, vote center, ballot drop box, or county elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Authorization required for third-party drop-off, includes a signature. **Ballots must be returned within three days or before polls close on election day by your designated third-party. Failure to return a ballot within this timeframe could result in a criminal penalty.

**Each Vote-by-Mail ballot is checked thoroughly to make sure the voter didn’t vote anywhere else and that the signature on the envelope matches the voter registration record.

3) Ballot Tracking: Use California’s online tool to track your ballot. State of California (ballottrax.net)

  • Early Voting: Begins Monday, Feb. 5, at county elections offices, with additional sites in some counties. 
  • Election Day Voting: Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Locate your polling place on the state elections website. 
  • ID Requirements: No ID needed unless you omitted your driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security number during online registration. Then, an approved ID is required. 
  • Disability Voting: Voters with disabilities can vote from home using a remote accessible vote-by-mail system. Details on the state elections website. 

Feb. 5: Counties must begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters; first day of early voting
Feb. 20: Last day to register to vote
Feb. 21–March 5: Conditional, “same day” voter registration available at all voting sites and county election offices
Feb. 24: 11-day vote centers open in Voter’s Choice Act counties
March 2: 4-day vote centers open in Voter’s Choice Act counties
March 5: Primary Election Day. Polling places and vote centers are open statewide 7 a.m.–8 p.m.
Nov. 5: General Election Day

  • U.S. President 
  • U.S. Senate: 2 seats 
  • U.S. House: 52 seats 
  • State Senate: 20 seats (Odd Senate Districts are up for re-election in 2024) 
  • State Assembly: 80 seats (All Assembly Districts are up for re-election in 2024) 
  • Board of Supervisors (LA, OC, RS, SB, VT) 
  • City Council (LA, RS, SB)