Election Day · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
How to vote in California
The deadlines, early voting, mail ballots and ID rules for California, and what happens after the polls close. Every fact links to the California Secretary of State or the law it comes from. Rules change, and courts sometimes change them close to an election, so confirm anything you are relying on with the state.
Checked against official sources on October 7.
Key dates
- Register online by
Monday, October 19
Online at registertovote.ca.gov.
- Register by mail by
Monday, October 19
Last day to register for the general election.
- Register in person by
Monday, October 19
After October 19, voters can still register conditionally in person (see sameDay).
- Same-day registration
Yes
Conditional ('same day') voter registration October 20 – November 3 at the county elections office, a vote center, or a polling place; the voter casts a provisional ballot that counts once registration is verified.
- Early voting
Monday, October 5 to Tuesday, November 3
Early voting sites and ballot drop-off locations open by October 5.
- How early voting works
In Voter's Choice Act counties, vote centers open by October 24 and let any county voter vote, register conditionally, or drop off a ballot. Find locations at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.
- Request a mail ballot by
No request needed. Replacement ballots can be requested from the county elections office.
- Return your mail ballot by
Tuesday, November 3
Postmarked on or before November 3 and received by the county by November 10. Ballots delivered in person must be at a drop box, polling place or vote center by 8 p.m. on November 3.
- Election Day polling hours
7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting by mail
- Who can vote by mail
Every voter is mailed a ballot
Every active registered voter is mailed a ballot; counties begin mailing by October 5.
- Drop boxes
Yes
All counties open drop-off locations by October 5; any drop box in California is accepted. Find one at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.
- Ballots arriving after Election Day
Yes
Ballots postmarked by November 3 count if received by November 10.
ID at the polls
- The rule
No ID needed for most voters
ID is required only for some first-time federal voters who registered by mail or online without giving a CA ID or SSN number.
- What to bring
Most voters do not need to show ID. If you are a first-time federal voter who registered without a driver's license or SSN number, you may be asked for a photo or non-photo ID such as a utility bill, bank statement or government mail.
When will we know results in California?
How fast results come in depends mostly on when the polls close and when election officials are allowed to start on mail ballots. Totals shown on election night are unofficial until the state certifies them.
- Last polls close
8 p.m. Pacific time — 11 p.m. Eastern
Pacific time.
- Mail ballots can be processed from
Monday, October 5
Processing — signature checks, opening envelopes, machine-reading ballots — may begin when ballots are mailed, no later than 29 days before the election.
- Mail ballots can be counted from
Tuesday, November 3
No vote count may be accessed or released until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Counties report semifinal results at least every two hours from 8 p.m. Ballots arriving through November 10 and conditional registrations take weeks to finish, which is why California's count runs long.
- Counties finish their count by
Thursday, December 3
Last day for counties to certify results.
- State certifies results
Friday, December 11
Statement of Vote certified by the Secretary of State.
- Automatic recount
None
No automatic recount; recounts are voter-requested or court-ordered.
- Requested recount
Any voter may request a recount. Statewide contests: filed with the Secretary of State within 5 days beginning the 31st day after the election. Other contests: within 5 days after the county canvass. The requester pays daily costs up front, refunded if the result flips.
Elections Code §§ 15620, 15621, 15624.
- Runoff
No runoff — the candidate with the most votes wins
California uses a top-two primary; the November general is the final election.
- Ranked-choice voting
Not used
Not used for state or federal offices.
- Votes needed to pass a ballot measure
A simple majority
Statewide initiatives and referendums pass with a majority of votes cast thereon (Cal. Const. art. II, § 10(a)).
- New governor takes office
Monday, January 4, 2027
'The Monday after January 1 following the election' (Cal. Const. art. V, § 2).
What’s on your ballot
Every contest you will vote on, from Congress to school board, with each candidate’s positions and record and the arguments for and against them.
Confirm this with the official source
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at California Secretary of State.