CALIFORNIA VOTER REGISTRATION FILE REQUEST CHECKLIST
Reviewed July 11, 2026 | Operational summary, not legal advice

Current official instructions control:
https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/voter-registration-information-file-request
https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/pdfs/voter-file-application.pdf

BEFORE YOU APPLY
[ ] Confirm the applicant and beneficiary qualify for the stated California purpose.
[ ] Name the actual candidate, committee, measure, research, or political work.
[ ] Choose statewide (Secretary of State) or county-specific (county elections office).
[ ] Confirm the current fee: statewide is listed at $100; county fees vary.
[ ] Allow at least the agency's stated 7–14 business-day review window.

APPLICATION PACKAGE
[ ] Use the current agency application, not a saved older copy.
[ ] Complete applicant and beneficiary identity/contact fields.
[ ] Explain the intended use in specific, factual terms.
[ ] Explain storage, access, transmission, export, retention, and deletion controls.
[ ] Attach qualification evidence requested for the selected purpose.
[ ] Attach a clear copy of current driver license or state identification.
[ ] Include the appropriate fee.
[ ] Sign with an ORIGINAL signature.
[ ] Mail or hand-deliver the statewide package; the current form rejects email/fax.

DATA OPTIONS
[ ] Active voters (included automatically on an approved request).
[ ] Inactive voters, only if needed and explicitly requested.
[ ] Available participation history, if needed for turnout analysis.
[ ] Precinct-to-district data, if needed for geography mapping.
[ ] Confirm the requested geography and delivery method.

SECURITY READINESS
[ ] Strong, unique credentials for every person with access.
[ ] Least-privilege roles and a current authorized-user list.
[ ] Session lock after no more than 15 minutes of inactivity.
[ ] Encrypted storage and encrypted transmission.
[ ] No public links, shared drives, or uncontrolled portable copies.
[ ] Export approval and access logging.
[ ] Written retention and secure-deletion plan.
[ ] Incident escalation path for suspected exposure or unauthorized use.

AFTER APPROVAL
[ ] Preserve the application, approval, scope, source date, and delivery notes.
[ ] Verify checksums or file integrity before import when available.
[ ] Keep use tied to the approved purpose and campaign beneficiary.
[ ] Record the source/refresh date before field, mail, or voter contact.
[ ] Return or securely destroy data when the approved purpose ends.

VoterFile is not affiliated with the California Secretary of State or any county
elections office. The agency decides whether an application and proposed use qualify.