Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections

To register as a non-citizen voter for the next Board of Education (School Board) election, you must be all of the following:

1.  A San Francisco resident who intends to remain so until the next Board of Education election;
2. The parent, legal guardian, or caregiver* of a child living in San Francisco.
3. At least 18 years of age on Election Day (the next such date is November 5, 2024); and
4. Not disqualified from voting under state law for imprisonment or mental incompetence.

*A caregiver is someone who signs the affidavit to enroll a minor in school and consents to school-related medical care on behalf of the minor. This is determined by state law, in CA Family Code §6550-6552. 

Local law requires all non-citizen voters to register for Board of Education elections using a postage-paid NCV registration form. This form is also available at the Department’s office. Completed non-citizen registration forms must be returned by mail or in person. A new NCV registration form must be completed for each Board of Education election by any non-citizen voter. 

Non-citizen voters cannot use the state voter registration form or register at state offices (e.g., Department of Motor Vehicles). 

Registration of any non-citizen voter will expire after each local Board of Education election. Non-citizen registrants may cancel their voter registration at any time by contacting the Department of Elections or by returning a NCV registration cancellation form. 

Non-citizen voters may confirm their registration information, check the status of their ballots, and find their assigned polling place by logging in to the Non-Citizen Voter Information Portal or by contacting the Department.

Non-citizen voters have the same voting options as other local voters. These options include: voting by mail, voting in person, or voting using the accessible vote-by-mail system.

Any voter can contact the Department of Elections, use the Voting Site Wait Times Lookup Tool, or check the back cover of their Voter Information Booklet to find their assigned polling place.

This process will mirror the one for citizen voters, meaning that non-citizen voters will need to sign the roster of voters to receive a ballot. All voters, including non-citizens, have the right to cast a secret ballot.

For every Board of Education election, the Department of Elections will produce a registration form, an official ballot, a Voter Information Booklet, and various outreach materials specific to non-citizen voters. All of these materials are multilingual and multiformat. Additionally, the Department maintains a separate voter roll for non-citizen voters.

You can only vote on Board of Education contests.

You and your children must live in San Francisco, but your children do not need to go to SFUSD schools. If your child attends private school, or is too young to attend school, you may vote in Board of Education elections.

You and your child must both reside in San Francisco to be eligible to vote in local Board of Education elections. 

Per state law, the Department of Elections must provide some of this information under certain circumstances. (Please see the State page on this topic.)