Just in time for the 2016 elections, this exhibit surveys the evolution of how voting, who votes, and the methods campaigns use to win votes, from the state’s founding to today.

Artifacts highlighting significant California elections on display include 1864 absentee ballots introduced for enlisted Civil War troops; 1911 Certification of Special Election reflecting the passage of women’s suffrage; 2003 gubernatorial recall election memorabilia; and more.

Through artifacts on loan from the California State Archives, the California State Library and local collectors, the exhibit underscores that the voters have always held the power to shape California’s future.