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OAKLAND \u2014 With just three weeks until the Tuesday, November 3, 2026, General Election, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today held a press conference in Los Angeles to reaffirm the safety and security of mail voting and urge voters who choose to mail their ballots to send them at least one week before Election Day to allow time for postmarking and delivery. He also highlighted the California Department of Justice\u2019s publication on voting rights for people with disabilities and underscored that the deadline for Californians to register to vote online is fast approaching. Eligible Californians have until next Monday, October 19 to register to vote at registertovote.ca.gov<\/a>, or if after the deadline, register in-person through Same Day Voter Registration (Conditional Voter Registration)<\/a>. Attorney General Bonta held a press conference last week in Sacramento<\/a> as part of his efforts to help voters understand their rights and know key election deadlines.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cElection season is upon us, and with just three weeks until Election Day, now is the time to make a plan to vote,\u201d said Attorney General Bonta. \u201cIn California, every active, registered voter receives a ballot in the mail, and thanks to a major Supreme Court victory we recently secured, Californians can continue voting just as they have before \u2013 whether by mail, ballot drop box, early, or in-person on Election Day. Your voice matters \u2014 don\u2019t miss your chance to use it!\u201d<\/p>\n The Attorney General enforces California\u2019s election laws to ensure free and fair elections. In the lead-up to and on Election Day, the California Department of Justice will be on call to assist the Secretary of State\u2019s Office in enforcing California\u2019s election laws through a team of attorneys and administrative staff located across the state. For up-to-date information on how to vote, check official websites, including sos.ca.gov\/elections<\/a>. Voters can register to track their ballot and confirm that it is counted at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n Denial of voting rights can be reported in English through the Secretary of State\u2019s confidential toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683). Other language options<\/a>, including Spanish, Tagalog, and Chinese, are available.In addition, reports can be made via email at elections@sos.ca.gov<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Recent Court Victories Protecting Voting Rights<\/p>\n Attorney General Bonta has recently secured several court victories protecting Californians\u2019 access to the ballot and the administration of elections:<\/p>\n Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked<\/a> the Trump Administration from imposing new mail-voting requirements ahead of the November 2026 election.<\/p>\n Last month, the California Supreme Court ordered the return<\/a> of approximately 650,000 voted ballots unlawfully seized by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and affirmed the Attorney General\u2019s authority to supervise county sheriffs.<\/p>\n In August, a California appellate court upheld a preliminary injunction<\/a> blocking Shasta County\u2019s Measure B, which would have eliminated vote-by-mail and most early voting and imposed new voter registration and identification requirements.<\/p>\n Considering Mailing Your Ballot? Here\u2019s What You Need to Know<\/p>\n To be counted, a ballot returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the voter\u2019s county elections office no later than seven days after Election Day. In the June 2026 primary, 148,241 mail ballots were rejected statewide. Nearly two-thirds were rejected because they were postmarked after Election Day or received by county elections offices after the seven-day deadline.<\/p>\n Voters can reduce the risk of deadline-related rejections by taking the following steps:<\/p>\n Mail your ballot early. If mailing your ballot, aim to send it at least one week before Election Day.<\/p>\n Request a postmark. If mailing your ballot close to Election Day, visit the post office counter to have it postmarked.<\/p>\n Remember, you have other options. If you\u2019re cutting it close, drop off your completed mail ballot at a vote center or ballot drop box. Ballot drop-off boxes are open and will remain available through Election Day. To find a ballot drop box near you, visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n Supporting Voters with Disabilities<\/p>\n