Where do I vote? Am I registered to vote? Does everyone get a ballot in the mail? Get the answers to your election day questions ahead of California's November 4 special election.
Go to the full CalMatters 2025 Voter Guide to get a detailed breakdown of Proposition 50, what it would do, why it's on the ballot, and more.
How do I vote?
Does everyone get a ballot in the mail?Yes. Under state law, vote-by-mail ballots are sent to every active registered voter.
When will I receive my mail-in-ballot?Counties will begin mailing ballots by Oct. 6.
How do I return my mail-in ballot?
- Mail it to your county elections office; to be counted, ballots have to be postmarked by Nov. 4 and received by election offices by Nov. 12.
- Drop it off at a ballot drop box, vote center or polling location anywhere in the state
- Ask someone you trust to do it for you, but that person can’t get paid by the ballot
Can I vote in person? Where is my polling place or vote center?Yes, though mailing your ballot as soon as possible is the best way to get your vote counted fast. You can find out where to vote in the following ways:
- Check online
- Text “VOTE” to GOVOTE (468-8683)
- Call the secretary of state’s hotline at (800) 345-VOTE
- Check your county Voter Information Guide, or contact your county elections office
If you live in one of 30 counties, you’ll have increased options, including as many as 10 days of in-person early voting.
How do I register to vote?
Am I registered to vote?You can check the secretary of state’s website: You’ll 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’t have those available, contact your county elections office or the secretary of state via email or phone at (800) 345-8683.
If you’ve changed your name since the last time you voted, or if you moved and didn’t notify the Department of Motor Vehicles or U.S. Postal Service, you may have to register again. If you haven’t voted in several consecutive general elections, your registration may have been canceled.
How do I register?You can do so online here. You’ll need the same information as above.
If the DMV has your signature on file, you’ll be able to complete the process online. If not, you’ll 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’ll be contacted when your application is approved, or if you need to provide more information.
What happens if I miss the voter registration deadline?The last day to register online for the general election is Oct. 20. If you are registering or re-registering less than 15 days before Nov. 4, you must complete same-day voter registration and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location.
How do I change my political party if I’m already registered?You’ll need to re-register to vote.
What if I need help with voting?
What if I need voter information in a language other than English?The secretary of state’s office has voter instructions in the following languages: Spanish, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese. Your county elections office may offer additional languages.
When will I receive my voter guide?The statewide voter information guide is available online and will be mailed to voters in September.
What am I voting on?Gov. Gavin Newsom called a special election to vote on Proposition 50, his measure to gerrymander California congressional districts to favor Democrats in the 2026 midterm election. It’s intended to offset a gerrymander in Texas that Republican President Donald Trump called for to boost the GOP next year’s election.
Can I leave work to vote?Yes. California requires time off for voting if employees don’t have enough time outside work hours. You can take as much time as you need, but employers are only required to pay for a maximum of two hours.
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.
How can I track my ballot?Go online then select “My Voter Status” to check if your vote was counted and if not, what the issue was.
What if I have special circumstances?
What should I do if I marked my ballot wrong, or otherwise messed it up?If you haven’t turned it in yet, you can exchange your mail ballot for a new one at an elections office, 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’s no way to fix it. Contact your county elections office for a new ballot.
What if the signature on my ballot doesn’t match the one on file?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.
Voters with ballots with missing signatures or ones that don’t match are notified and given an opportunity to correct the problem before the election is certified.
What happens if I don’t receive my ballot?Contact your county elections office.
Help! I dropped off my ballot to a drop box in the wrong county.Don’t worry – the county will pass it on to the correct elections office.
I forgot to detach the stub from my ballot. Can I open the sealed envelope and reseal it myself?You can, but the secretary of state’s office recommends contacting your local county elections office. They’ll ultimately be processing your ballot and they can offer the best guidance on whether you should reopen it or just leave the stub attached.
This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.
