[intro music] Hello, California!

If you're watching this, then I'm guessing you want to vote. That's great, but first you've gotta make sure you're registered.

If you're not sure whether you're registered already, there's a link in the description where you can check. If you're not registered, or if you've moved or changed your name since the last election, you can go to registertovote.ca.gov and register right now. If you'd prefer to do a paper application, you can get one at the DMV, or most post offices and public libraries, but however you'd prefer to register, you need to do it before October 22nd to vote in the November midterm elections.

Once you're registered, you have a couple of different options for how you can vote. If you'd rather vote from the comfort of your own home, you have until October 30th to apply to vote by mail. There's a link in the description to the application form.

You will actually have to print it out and mail it in, which is kind of annoying, but once you do, all you have to do is wait for your ballot to show up in the mail, fill it out at your own pace, and send it back in on or before the November 6th election day. If you're applying to vote by mail, there's even an option to sign up to automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election, so you don't even have to think about it. They'll just mail you a ballot every time you're eligible to vote.

In some counties, you can also vote early in person as early as 30 days before the election right up until November 5th. Check with your county elections office about what dates and times early voting is available, but if voting on a weekend or your lunch break some random Thursday is easier for you, early voting can make that possible. There's a link to a list of county elections offices below that has all of their locations, hours, and contact information.

If you really want that excitement of voting in person on November 6th, though, you can find out where to go to vote using the link in the description. You can also text the word "VOTE" to 468683. Polls are open from 7am to 8pm statewide, and you shouldn't need to bring anything with you, but it's a good idea to bring a form of identification just in case, especially if this is your first time voting.

IDs you can bring include a driver's license, state ID, student ID, passport, or a utility bill with your name and address on it. The California Secretary of State's office does a really awesome thing where before the election, they'll mail you a voter guide that shows you what's on the ballot, has information about all of the candidates, and your polling location is printed on the back. You can also find it online using the link below.

You don't have to vote for every single item on the ballot- you can leave things blank if you want to- but your local elections can be pretty important, so it's worth checking out what's on there ahead of time. You can even fill out the sample ballot that's included with the voter guide and bring it to the polls with you so you don't forget what you wanted to vote for. All the links you need to check your registration and polling location are in the description.

Thank you for voting! [end music]