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Registration counts: Voter Count · Updated November 6, 2026

California Voter Registration

& Party Affiliation Statistics

Total Registered
22,633,453
Largest Party
Democratic (44.58%)
Independent / NPP
27.25%
Primary Type
State:Nonpartisan Top-Two
Pres:Semi-Closed Primary
OverviewRegistrationPrimary RulesIndependentsTurnout

All data provided by

Voter Count(opens votercount.ai in a new tab)

The only AI tool connected to L2’s industry-leading national voter file.

Ask about any county, age group, or district in California, in plain English, and get answers in seconds.

Try it for yourself(opens votercount.ai in a new tab)
At a Glance

California at a Glance

Key voter registration statistics · Updated 2026

Registered Voters
22,633,453
of 27.2M eligible
Registration Rate
83.1%
eligible population
Independent / NPP
6.2M
27.25% of registered
2024 Turnout
62.3%
of eligible voters
California's most independent county (50,000+ voters): Santa Clara, 31.2% vs. 27.3% statewide

31.19% of voters in Santa Clara County are registered independents (No Party Preference or American Independent Party), compared with 27.25% across California. That's the highest share of any California county with at least 50,000 voters.

Answered directly from the voter file with Voter Count

Registration

Voter Registration by Party

How many registered Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are in California?

44.6%
25.0%
27.3%
Democratic44.6%
Republican25.0%
Independent27.3%
Other3.2%
PartyRegistered Voters% of Total
Democratic
10,089,59944.6%
Republican
5,660,07025.0%
Independent
6,168,69527.3%
Other
715,0893.2%
Primary Rules

How California's Primary Works

California uses different primary rules for state/congressional and presidential elections

State / Congressional

⚖
Nonpartisan Top-Two
All candidates appear on a single ballot regardless of party. All registered voters can participate. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election.
How It Works
There is one primary ballot for everyone. Candidates list their party preference, but voters aren't limited by it. The two candidates with the most votes advance, even if they're from the same party.
IVP's Position
This is the reform IVP pioneered in California with Proposition 14 (2010). It gives every voter an equal voice in every election and forces candidates to compete for all voters, not just partisan bases.
Learn about Proposition 14 →See all primary systems by state →

Presidential

⚖
Semi-Closed Primary
Registered party members vote in their own party's primary. Unaffiliated voters may choose a party primary to participate in, but voters registered with a different party cannot cross over.
How It Works
If you're registered Democrat, you vote in the Democratic primary. If you're registered Republican, you vote in the Republican primary. If you're unaffiliated, you can pick either; you may need to formally affiliate at the polls.
IVP's Position
An improvement over closed primaries, but still ties the system to party labels. Voters shouldn't have to join a private organization to participate in publicly funded elections.
See all primary systems by state →
Independents

Independent Voter Growth

Independent registration trend in California

Independent Registration Over Time
18%20%22%24%26%18.18%200620.18%201020.94%201324.95%201822.9%202222.65%2025
6,168,695
Independent voters in California
That's nearly 1 in 4 registered voters, more than the entire Republican registration.
Why It Matters
In most states, independent voters are locked out of primary elections, the stage where 83%[1] of congressional seats are decided. California's Top-Two Primary changed that.
See how your state compares →
Turnout

Voter Turnout in California

How many eligible Californians actually vote?

Eligible vs Registered
83.1% registered
22,633,453 registered27,225,259 eligible
4,591,806 eligible Californians are not registered to vote.
Recent Elections
ElectionTurnoutVoted
2024 General62.3%16,140,044
2022 General42.9%11,146,610
2020 General68.8%17,785,151
2022 State Primary33.2%7,285,230
2024 Presidential Primary35.0%7,719,218

Primary turnout figures reflect all voters regardless of party registration. Source: each state’s Secretary of State Statement of Vote.

Independent voters deserve a voice.
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All data provided by

Voter Count(opens votercount.ai in a new tab)

The only AI tool connected to L2’s industry-leading national voter file.

Ask about any county, age group, or district in California, in plain English, and get answers in seconds.

Try it for yourself(opens votercount.ai in a new tab)
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