Secretary Of State: Nearly 85% Of Eligible Californians Registered For 2020 Presidential Election

SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) – As the voter registration deadline approaches for the presidential election in November, the California Secretary of State's office found more than eight out of 10 Californians who are eligible to vote are registered.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla said according to the latest voter registration report, 84.68 percent of eligible Californians are registered, the highest percentage heading into a General Election in the past 68 years.

"This month California reached a historic registration milestone with over 21.2 million registered voters, an increase of nearly 3 million voters compared to a similar point in the last presidential election," Padilla said in a statement.

By party affiliation, Democrats continue to hold a large registration edge in the state with 46.4 percent of registered voters. Meanwhile, 24.2 percent are registered with the Republican Party, while another 23.7 percent are registered under "No Party Preference."

Among Bay Area counties, the highest voter registration percentage is in Marin County, where 94.7 percent of the county's eligible adults are registered. San Francisco had the lowest voter registration percentage in the area at 76.5 percent.

Padilla reminded Californians that the deadline to register is October 19th, but those who miss the deadline can complete the same-day voter registration process and cast a vote at an in-person voting location or their county elections office.

Anyone who need to check their voter registration status is asked to visit VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, election officials across California will send mail-in ballots to all active, registered voters starting the week of October 5th. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day, November 3rd. Meanwhile, mail-in ballots returned at a secure ballot drop box or a voting location must be turned in by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom joined other Democratic governors in statement assuring all valid ballots cast in accordance with state and local laws will be counted.