Nearly nine in ten eligible Californians are registered to vote—the highest rate since 1952.

• As of July 2021, 22.1 million of California’s 24.8 million eligible adults (88.9%) were registered to vote.
• The current registration rate is 11 percentage points higher than it was in February 2017 (77.9%), the year preceding the last gubernatorial election.
• Voter registration and enthusiasm will play a role in the September recall election of Governor Newsom. In the lead up to the 2003 recall of Governor Davis, 70.3% of eligible adults were registered to vote—19 points lower than today.

Likely voters lean Democratic and are ideologically mixed.

• Among likely voters in our surveys over the past year, 48% are Democrats, 26% are Republicans, 22% are independents, and 5% are registered with other parties. Of those we consider infrequent voters, 40% are Democrats, 37% are independents, 19% are Republicans, and 4% are registered with other parties.
• Ideologically, 40% of likely voters are politically liberal, 29% are moderate, and 31% are conservative. Among infrequent voters, 28% say they are liberal, 43% are moderate, and 29% are conservative.

Independent likely voters and unregistered adults lean Democratic.

• Among independent likely voters, 52% lean toward the Democratic Party, compared to 36% who lean toward the Republican Party and 12% who volunteer that they lean toward neither major party or are unsure.
• Among independent infrequent voters, 47% lean Democratic, 31% lean Republican, and 22% lean toward neither party or are unsure.
• Among unregistered adults, 53% lean Democratic, 23% lean Republican, and 24% lean toward neither party or are unsure.

Likely voters are disproportionately white.

• Whites make up only 41% of California’s adult population but 54% of the state’s likely voters. In contrast, Latinos comprise 35% of the adult population but just 22% of likely voters. Asian Americans make up 16% of adults and 14% of likely voters, while 6% of both adults and likely voters are African American. “Other race” and multiracial adults make up 2% of the adult population and 4% of likely voters.
• About six in ten unregistered adults are Latino (63%); fewer are white (18%), Asian American (15%), or African American (2%).

Likely voters tend to be older, more educated and affluent, homeowners, and US born.

• Californians age 55 and older make up 34% of the state’s adult population but constitute 46% of likely voters. Young adults (age 18 to 34) make up 32% of the population but only 24% of likely voters, while adults age 35 to 54 are proportionally represented.
• Eight in ten likely voters either have some college education (40%) or are college graduates (41%); 19% have no college education.
• Fifty percent of likely voters have annual household incomes of $80,000 or more, while 27% earn between $40,000 and under $80,000 and 23% earn $40,000 or less.
• A strong majority of likely voters are homeowners (66%), while a third are renters. In contrast, 69% of unregistered adults and 63% of infrequent voters are renters.
• Eighty-three percent of likely voters were born in the United States.
• Women (51%) and men (49%) make up similar shares of California’s likely voters.