Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Motor Voter? Federal law requires the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to provide customers the opportunity to register to vote while completing a driver license (DL) or identification (ID) card or change of address transaction. Under state law and the California Motor Voter program, DMV customers who indicate they are eligible to vote will be automatically registered to vote, unless they opt out during their DL/ID or change of address transaction.
2. How do I know if I am eligible to register and vote? In order to be eligible to vote, an individual must meet the following criteria:
   • A United States citizen
   • Have a residence address in California
   • At least 18 years old (or pre-register if 16 or 17, but must be 18 or older to vote on Election Day)
   • Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony
   • Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court
3. How do I know if I have U.S. citizenship? If you meet certain requirements, you may become a U.S. citizen either at birth or after birth. To become a citizen at birth, you must:
   • Have been born in the United States or certain territories or outlying possessions of the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States;or
   • had a parent or parents who were citizens at the time of your birth (if you were born abroad ) and meet other requirements

To become a citizen after birth, you must:

• Apply for “derived” or “acquired” citizenship through parents
• Apply for naturalization through United States Customs and Immigration Services