In 1866 California established the Great Registry Act which provided "for the registration of the citizens of the State, and for the enrollment in the several election districts of all the legal voters thereof, and for the prevention and punishment of frauds affecting the elective franchise."
From this the Great Registry was created. All eligible voters were required to register. Women were able to register in 1911 but do not begin to appear in the registries until 1912. The Registrar of Voters is a government agency whose main purpose is to ensure federal, state and local elections are conducted timely, responsibly, and with the highest level of professional election standards, accountability, security and integrity, intended to earn and maintain public confidence in the electoral process.
From the description of The Great Registries 1877-1924. (Santa Clara County Archives). WorldCat record id: 502149725
