The California voter lookup tool will verify your status using personal information such as your name and date of birth.
2026 Voter Guide
2026 Voter Guide
Key Dates to Know
Oct 5
Check your mail! County elections officials will start sending ballots via mail to all active registered voters no later than Oct. 5. Early voting sites open the same day.
Oct 6
Mail ballots can be returned to a secure drop-off box. Counties will allow access to the boxes no later than Oct. 6.
Oct 19
Visit the California Secretary of State’s site to register to vote by Oct. 19. You can conditionally register to vote and cast a provisional ballot at your county elections office, polling place or vote center up to Election Day, Nov. 3, if you miss the online registration deadline.
Oct 24
California Voter’s Choice Act’s participating counties, including El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo, will open Vote Centers. Visit the California Secretary of State’s site or reach out to your county elections office for nearby early voting locations.
Oct 29
The California Secretary of State urges voters to return ballots in the mail as soon as possible or at least five days before Election Day, Nov. 3.
Nov 3
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. As long as you’re in line before polls close, you’re entitled to cast your vote. Mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 3, and received no less than seven days after the election. If you mail your ballot on Nov. 3, the California Secretary of State recommends getting it manually postmarked by a postal worker inside the post office.
Find the Nearest Voting Location
You can search for your nearest polling location through the California Secretary of State or your county elections officials' website. Need a vote-by-mail ballot? Head to your county election office to request one.
Voting Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Help? Contact Us →Identification is not generally required at the polls in California. You may need to show ID (with or without a photo) if you’re casting your vote in a federal election for the first time and registered to vote online or by mail without your California ID or Social Security number. Acceptable forms of ID include a utility bill, paycheck and a U.S. passport.
No. It’s illegal in California to cast your vote online and county election officials won’t collect filled ballots delivered by email.
Polling sites open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, and your vote will be counted if you’re in line by closing time. Check your local early voting site if you plan to cast your ballot before Election Day, as hours may vary.
You can receive step-by-step status updates about your mail ballot using Ballottrax, a ballot lookup tool provided by the California Secretary of State.
You must reregister to vote to change your political party preference. You can do so online using the California online voter registration tool.
Every voter household will receive the state’s official voter information guide weeks before Election Day with ballot measures, candidate and voter rights information. The guide is also available online and provided in 10 languages, including English, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese.
Yes. Ballot replacement requests can be made through your local county elections office by phone, email or fax. You can also fill out a ballot application and return it to your local site. Replacement ballots are available at your local voting location as well.
The California Voter’s Choice Act allows counties to establish greater flexibility and voter convenience in their election process. Participating counties include El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo.
The California Secretary of State provides voter information in Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese. Your county elections office may have voter materials in additional languages.
The last day to cast your ballot in person, by mail or drop box is Nov. 3. Polling sites open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, and your vote will be counted if you’re in line by closing time. If you mail your ballot on Nov. 3, the California Secretary of State recommends getting it manually postmarked by a postal worker inside the post office.
The deadline to postmark your mail ballot is Nov. 3. If you mail your ballot on Nov. 3, the California Secretary of State recommends getting it manually postmarked by a postal worker inside the post office.
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2026 Voter Guide