When will I receive my mail-in-ballot?<\/p>\n
Counties will begin mailing ballots May 4.<\/p>\n
How do I return my mail-in ballot?<\/p>\n
Mail it to your county elections office; to be counted<\/a>, ballots have to be postmarked on or before June 2 and received by election offices by June 9.<\/p>\n Drop it off at a ballot drop box, vote center or polling location anywhere in the state.<\/p>\n Ask someone you trust to do it for you, but that person can\u2019t receive payment for doing it.<\/p>\n Can I vote in person? Where is my polling place or vote center?<\/p>\n Yes, although mailing your ballot as soon as possible is the best way to get your vote counted fast<\/a>. You can find out where to vote in the following ways:\u00a0<\/p>\n Check online\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Text \u201cVOTE\u201d to GOVOTE (468-8683)<\/p>\n Call the secretary of state\u2019s hotline at (800) 345-VOTE\u00a0<\/p>\n Check your county Voter Information Guide, or contact your county elections office\u00a0<\/p>\n If you live in one of 30 counties<\/a>, you\u2019ll have increased options, including as many as 10 days of in-person early voting.<\/p>\n How do I register to vote?<\/p>\n Am I registered to vote?<\/p>\n You can check the secretary of state\u2019s website<\/a>: You\u2019ll need to enter your name, date of birth and either your California driver license, identification card number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you don\u2019t have those available, contact your county elections office or the secretary of state via email or phone at (800) 345-8683.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve changed your name since the last time you voted, or if you moved and didn\u2019t notify the Department of Motor Vehicles or U.S. Postal Service, you may have to register again. If you haven\u2019t voted in several consecutive general elections, your registration may have been canceled.<\/p>\n How do I register?<\/p>\n You can do so online here<\/a>. You\u2019ll need the same information as above.<\/p>\n If the DMV has your signature on file, you\u2019ll be able to complete the process online. If not, you\u2019ll need to print, sign and mail your completed application to your county elections office. You can also pick up a paper application at elections offices, any DMV office and at many post offices, public libraries and government offices. You\u2019ll be contacted when your application is approved, or if you need to provide more information.<\/p>\n What happens if I miss the voter registration deadline?<\/p>\n The last day to register online for the primary election is May 18<\/a>. If you are registering or re-registering less than 15 days before May 18, you must complete same-day voter registration<\/a> and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location.\u00a0<\/p>\n How do I change my political party if I\u2019m already registered?<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to re-register to vote<\/a>.<\/p>\n What if I need help with voting?<\/p>\n What if I need voter information in a language other than English?<\/p>\n The secretary of state\u2019s office has voter instructions in the following languages: Spanish<\/a>, Hindi<\/a>, Chinese<\/a>, Japanese<\/a>, Khmer<\/a>, Korean<\/a>, Tagalog<\/a>, Thai<\/a> and Vietnamese<\/a>. Your county elections office may offer additional languages.\u00a0<\/p>\n When will I receive my voter guide?<\/p>\n The statewide voter information guide \u00a0will be available online<\/a> by April and will be mailed to voters later that month.<\/p>\n What am I voting on?<\/p>\n The June primary election is the first opportunity for Californians to choose which candidates will appear on the general election ballot in November. Unlike some other states, California\u2019s primaries are nonpartisan, so the top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the November election, regardless of political party.\u00a0<\/p>\n The ballot is packed with state and federal races, most notably the race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited and cannot run for reelection. In addition to the governor\u2019s race, voters will be asked to choose candidates for Congress, the state Legislature and a slate of statewide offices including insurance commissioner and treasurer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Can I leave work to vote?<\/p>\n Yes. California requires time off for voting if employees don\u2019t have enough time outside work hours<\/a>. You can take as much time as you need, but employers are only required to pay for a maximum of two hours.<\/p>\n Employers may require advance notice. The time off must be at the beginning or the end of your shift. Employers are required to post a notice about this 10 days before a statewide election<\/a>.<\/p>\n How can I track my ballot?<\/p>\n Register for California\u2019s BallotTrax tool<\/a>, where you can check your ballot status and opt in to receive email or text notifications.<\/p>\n Is my ballot safe?<\/p>\n Yes, voting by mail or dropping your ballot in an approved drop box is a safe and efficient way to vote. Fraudulent voting is uncommon and incredibly difficult given California\u2019s strict voter verification procedures. Mail-in ballots will only be sent to voters whose address and identity have been verified by county election officials. Their vote will only be counted once those officials verify that the voter\u2019s signature on the envelope matches the one on file.<\/p>\n You can find more information about California\u2019s election and voting process on the secretary of state\u2019s website<\/a>. The office takes any allegations of election fraud seriously. Anyone can submit a complaint using this form<\/a>.<\/p>\n Be prepared for California\u2019s primary<\/p>\n Be prepared for California\u2019s primary<\/p>\n Sign up for our election newsletter and be the first to know when we update our voter guide with information on key primary races.<\/p>\n Sign up for our election newsletter and be the first to know when we update our voter guide with information on key primary races.<\/p>\n What if I have special circumstances?<\/p>\n What should I do if I marked my ballot wrong, or otherwise messed it up?<\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t turned it in yet, you can exchange your mail ballot for a new one at an elections office<\/a>, ask an election official at the polling place for a new ballot, or vote using a provisional ballot. If you have mailed or turned in your ballot, there\u2019s no way to fix it. Contact your county elections office for a new ballot.\u00a0<\/p>\n What if the signature on my ballot doesn\u2019t match the one on file?<\/p>\n County election officials check the signatures on the return envelope against signatures on your voter registration card to make sure no one tries to improperly cast your ballot. It still remains confidential; the ballot is separated from the envelope before it is counted.<\/p>\n Voters with ballots with missing signatures or ones that don\u2019t match are notified and given an opportunity<\/a> to correct the problem before the election is certified.<\/p>\n What happens if I don\u2019t receive my ballot?<\/p>\n Contact your county elections office.\u00a0<\/p>\n Help! I dropped off my ballot to a drop box in the wrong county.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry \u2013 the county will pass it on to the correct elections office.\u00a0<\/p>\n I forgot to detach the stub from my ballot. Can I open the sealed envelope and reseal it myself?<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/vg-2026-icon-v2.png\"){kind=icon}
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