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Can I vote by mail in California?
Yes. Your ballot comes to you.
Every active registered voter is mailed a ballot automatically. Just make sure your registration and mailing address are current.
- Voter registrationMon, Oct 19Passed
Conditional registration and a provisional ballot in person through Election Day.
- Request byTue, Oct 272 days
Only if you need your ballot sent somewhere other than your registered address.
- NextFill it in, sign the envelope, and get it in the mail byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Election Day and received within 7 days after.
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. California drop box locator.
Who can return it for you: Anyone you choose may return it. Anyone may return your ballot as long as they aren't paid per ballot: to the elections office, any polling place or vote center, or an official drop box. No numeric limit. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Wed, Nov 25 · 31 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Return a signature verification statement so the county receives it by 5 p.m. Nov. 25 (22 days after the election). The county mails you the form; you can also drop it at a polling place or drop box before polls close. Deadline: Wed, Nov 25 · 31 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in California?
Will your ballot count in California?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in California, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Polling place and sample ballot: Your state's voter portal shows where you vote in person, what's on your ballot, and your registration status, all from your address. Open the voter portal
Open now through Tue, Nov 3. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: Not required for most voters. First-time federal voters who registered by mail without DL/ID/SSN4 may be asked for e.g. a utility bill, sample ballot booklet, government mail, passport, driver license, state ID, or student photo ID Without one: Nothing happens for most voters; a flagged first-time voter without ID votes a provisional ballot
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
California can start processing mail ballots 29 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Fri, Dec 4. Ballots postmarked by Election Day arrive through Nov. 10, so counting runs for weeks.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-09. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.
California in the news
Yesterday
- Timing Issues Alone (Laches and the Purcell Principle) Should Doom DOJ’s Attempt to Get California Election Officials to Pull Out Ballots from Purported Possible NoncitizensCaliforniaElection Law Blog
- Ninth Circuit Panel Sets 1 PM Sunday Oral Argument on DOJ’s Motion for Injunction Pending Appeal and Los Angeles’ Motion to Dismiss in California Ballot CaseCaliforniaElection Law Blog
- Los Angeles County Moves to Dismiss 9th Circuit Appeal in California Ballot CaseCaliforniaElection Law Blog
- California Files Strong Opposition to DOJ’s Procedurally Improper Attempt to Get an Injunction Pending Appeal in California Ballot CaseCaliforniaElection Law Blog
- DOJ orders some California counties to set aside ballots from suspected noncitizensCaliforniaPBS
- Impatient Federal Government Asks Ninth Circuit to Rule in California Ballot Case by Saturday; Ninth Circuit Orders Responses to Be Filed by that Time [Corrected headline]CaliforniaElection Law Blog
- DOJ orders some California counties to verify ballots in 48 hoursCaliforniaAP News
Earlier
- Justice Department asks appeals court to intervene in California ballot caseCaliforniaReuters
- Federal judge rules California vote-by-mail program discriminates against blind votersCaliforniaKCRA
- California’s Vote-by-Mail program ruled as discriminatory against voters with print disabilitiesCaliforniaFOX40