A text says you are not registered to vote? Check independently before clicking

A voting reminder can hide an identity-theft trap

As Election Day approaches, a text saying you are not registered may make you rush to fix the problem. But the linked page may not belong to an elections office.

The FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, described this tactic in an October 15, 2026, alert. Recipients are urged to follow a link to a fake state voter registration page.

The FBI says the goal is to steal personal information for identity theft or further fraud. An agency name, a candidate's picture, or a familiar logo does not make a page genuine.

The alert also describes separate schemes involving fake donations, political merchandise that never arrives, and promises of returns on campaign contributions. A suspicious registration message is not evidence that a candidate is involved.

Use the official route to check your record

To find out whether the message is accurate, you need a source outside that conversation.

The California Secretary of State, which provides state election services, directs voters to voterstatus.sos.ca.gov to check their registration.

Type that address into your browser yourself. If a relative helps, open the official site together rather than giving identification details to the message's sender.

You can also call the Orange County Registrar of Voters at the official number below. This is useful if the online portal will not open or you are unsure what its results mean.

The FBI advises against sharing personal information with strangers or clicking unknown links. That does not mean avoiding official verification portals run by elections offices.

Missing October 19 does not close every option

After checking their record, unregistered residents need to know what they can still do. A claim that it is too late should not push someone to give up or trust a stranger promising to fix the record.

California's 2026 election calendar lists October 19, 2026, as the regular registration deadline. Eligible residents can conditionally register from October 20 through November 3, 2026.

This process is called Conditional Voter Registration or Same Day Voter Registration. People who need to register or re-register can visit the elections office or an open Vote Center.

According to the Secretary of State, ballots are processed and counted once the county completes registration verification. The process does not waive voter eligibility requirements.

Orange County Vote Centers do not all open on the same date:

• Selected centers open October 24–30, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• All centers open October 31–November 2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• On November 3, 2026, centers open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters provides lists and maps at ocvote.gov/votecenter. Check the location and its opening dates before going.

If you entered information on a suspicious page

If you suspect a fake site, preserve information for a report rather than continuing to reply to the sender.

The FBI asks people reporting these scams to include website links, phone numbers, email addresses, and how contact began. Keep transaction records if money changed hands.

You can report online crime to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, at ic3.gov. The FTC, the Federal Trade Commission, accepts scam reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For questions about your actual registration record, contact the elections office. To report a fake site or money lost, use law enforcement reporting channels. These are separate tasks.

Before paying anyone who promises to fix your record, call a relative or someone you trust to check the claim together.

Need to check your record or find a Vote Center?

• California voter registration status: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
• Orange County Registrar of Voters: (714) 567-⁠7600.
• Website: ocvote.gov.
• Vote Centers and opening dates: ocvote.gov/votecenter.
• Scam reports: ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Police — non-emergency:
  - Westminster: (714) 548-⁠3212.
  - Garden Grove: (714) 741-⁠5704.
  - Fountain Valley: (714) 593-⁠4485.
• Emergency: 911.

A text message does not decide whether you can vote. Official records and procedures are the place to check your options—not an urgent demand to click a link.

This article is for general information only and is not financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. Please consult a licensed professional before making decisions.