Individual Voter State California Eslpod Election Meet Eligible

Voter "eligibility" (determinations of who has the right to vote) is determined through a combination of "federal" (national) and state laws. Here in California, individuals must meet "the following" (listed below) five "criteria" (factors that are important for making a decision or classification) to be eligible to vote:

The individual must be a citizen of the United States. It does not matter where the individual was born, as long as he or she is a citizen.

The individual must be a "resident" of the State of California. This means that the individual must be able to prove that he or she lives in California.

The individual must be at least 18 years old by Election Day.

The individual must not be in "prison" (jail; the place people are taken to as a punishment for having broken the law) or "on parole" (allowed to leave jail under close supervision, but still being punished for having broken the law) for a "felony" (a serious, dangerous crime).

The individual must not be "found by a court" (legally declared) to be "mentally incompetent" (unable to think clearly, usually because of a mental issue or illness).

Californians who meet those five criteria can fill out a voter registration "form" (a document with many empty lines requesting information). The form requests basic information, like the new voter's name, address, and birth date. The individual can also choose to "indicate" (show) his or her "party affiliation" (whether one generally prefers the Democratic, Republican, or another political party).

After the state "processes" (handles; deals with) the form, the new voter receives a "voter registration card" in the mail. The card shows that the individual has registered and is eligible to vote in the State of California. Most of the other states have similar requirements and a similar process for registering to vote.