Keep in mind that updating your registration is also known as “re-registering” to vote because you must register to vote at registertovote.ca.gov to update items in your voter record again as if you were submitting a new application. Because your voter registration is tied to your Social Security number and your driver's license or ID card number, your new voter registration will be matched to yours available Voter registration and your information will be updated this way. (In other words, the state won't believe you're fraudulently trying to register to vote twice.)

And if you miss the October 21st deadline to update your voter registration with your new address by registering again, don't worry: you can do so in person until the polls close at 8pm on Election Day, November 5th Close clock. Jump here to learn how to re-register to vote in person after October 21st.

How to re-register if: Your ballot arrived but your “old name” is on it

If you have legally changed your name since you last voted in California, you will need to re-register to vote with your current (new) name.

You can update your voter registration with your new legal name by using the Department of State's voter status page. If you do this before the online registration deadline of October 21, your county will cancel the ballot that was sent to your old address and send you a new one. Visit registertovote.ca.gov to update your voter registration by re-registering.

One important thing: Before you do that, the Secretary of State recommends updating your California driver's license or ID card at the DMV First. This is because when you register to vote online, your county elections office will electronically request a copy of the signature that the DMV currently has for you. And if you haven't updated your signature with the DMV, the signature the agency sends to your county elections office will be the signature for your previous name, not your new one, and your registration will be rejected. Read how to update your signature at the DMV.

If you are unable to update your information with the DMV first, the state recommends that you select “Decline” on the application when asked to use your DMV signature to register as a voter. However, you then have to click on “Print” and sign the paper application, which must be sent in and stamped by October 21st.

Did you miss October 21st to re-register to vote online using your new name? Remember, you can still do this in person until the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 5th.

Here's how to register to vote in person if you miss the October 21 online deadline

If you were not able to register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov by midnight Monday, you can use Same Day Registration until the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 5th. register to vote in person (also called “conditional registration”)

You can register to vote in person during business hours at your county elections office, which is now open for early voting.

You can also request same-day registration at an open polling location near you when many early polling locations open in the Bay Area on October 26th. Read more about how to find your nearest polling place.

And if you are correctly registered but your ballot still doesn't show up…

Oct. 7 was the deadline for Bay Area counties to begin mailing out ballots. And if your ballot hasn't arrived this close to Election Day, it's probably time to double check.

You can use both voterstatus.sos.ca.gov and the state website “Where’s My Ballot?” Tool to check whether and to which address your ballot was sent. You can also check your voter registration status yourself at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.

If your voter registration shows as active and your address and name are all current, but your ballot still doesn't appear soon, you can call your county election office and ask them to cancel the ballot and send you a fresh one. Read more about what to do if your ballot doesn't show up.