Cal. ELEC § 2201 — California Code / Code elec / Division 2 / Chapter 3 / Article 1 / Section 2201
Section 2201
Status: in_force

(a) The county elections official shall cancel the registration in the following cases:

(1) At the signed, written request of the person registered.

(2) When the mental incompetency of the person registered is legally established as provided in Sections 2208, 2209, 2210, and 2211. The county elections office shall use only information provided by the Secretary of State pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2211.5 to cancel a voter registration for this reason.

(3) Upon proof that the person is presently imprisoned for conviction of a felony. The county elections office shall use only information provided by the Secretary of State pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2212, by a United States District Court, or by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to cancel a voter registration for this reason.

(4) Upon the production of a certified copy of a judgment directing the cancellation to be made.

(5) Upon the death of the person registered.

(6) Pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 2220).

(7) Upon official notification that the voter is registered to vote in another state.

(8) Upon proof that the person is otherwise ineligible to vote.

(b) The Secretary of State may cancel the registration in the following cases:

(1) When the mental incompetency of the person registered is legally established as provided in Sections 2208, 2209, 2210, and 2211.

(2) Upon proof that the person is presently imprisoned for the conviction of a felony.

(3) Upon the death of the person registered.

(c) (1) Between 15 and 30 days, inclusive, before canceling a person’s registration for the reasons specified in paragraph (2), (3), (5), or (6) of subdivision (a), the county elections official shall send a forwardable notice by first-class mail, including a postage-paid and preaddressed return form, to the voter.

(A) The forwardable notice shall be provided in the person’s preferred language if the county is required to provide translated ballots in that language pursuant to Section 203 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 10503).

(B) The notice shall include a statement substantially similar to the following:

“IMPORTANT NOTICE. Your voter registration record is scheduled to be canceled on [date]. This cancellation is due to information the [county name] County elections office has received indicating your ineligibility to vote in that county due to a change of residence, death, prison commitment or mental incapacity to vote pursuant to Sections 2208, 2209, 2210, or 2211 of the California Elections Code, as applicable.

If you believe this cancellation is in error, please notify our office within 15 days from the date of this notice either by returning the attached postage-paid postcard or by calling [county elections office phone number] toll free.

If we do not receive your response to this notice, you may be required to reregister to vote in the next election or to vote using a provisional ballot. You can find more information about voter eligibility rules on the Secretary of State’s internet website at [URL] or voter hotline at [phone numbers]. You can also check your current registration status at [URL].”

(2) The preaddressed return form described in paragraph (1) shall include all of the following:

(A) Space for the voter to provide their current place of residence.

(B) Space for the voter to provide their current mailing address, if different from the place of residence.

(C) A box next to a statement substantially similar to the following: “The cancellation of my voter record is in error because I have not been deemed mentally incompetent to vote by a court of law, I am not currently serving a state or federal prison term, and I have not died. Additionally, if I have moved, I have provided my new residential address on this form.”

(D) Space for the voter to provide their signature and the date.

(3) The elections official may send additional written notices to a voter, and may also notify the voter in person, by telephone or email, or by other means of the planned registration cancellation.

(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.