As polling centers open and people line up to cast their votes for the next president, congress representative, or local politician, there are multiple ways to send in a ballot, as California, like the rest of the nation, has created options to help citizens access polling centers.
“California voters are no longer limited to a single day of voting. Why wait in line on Election Day when you have early voting options?” said Secretary Weber. “Once you receive your ballot, complete it, and sign the back of the envelope. Then, you can return it by mail, drop box, or any early voting location.”
Voting your ballot is easy. Voters can follow these five easy steps to vote their vote-by-mail ballot:
Complete it. Mark their choices on their vote-by-mail ballot.
Seal it. Secure their ballot inside the vote-by-mail ballot return envelope.
Sign it. Sign the outside of their vote-by-mail ballot return envelope.
• Each voter should check if their signature matches the one on their California driver’s license/state ID or the signature they provided when they registered to vote.
County elections officials will compare the signatures before ballots are counted.
Return it. There are three ways voters can return a vote-by-mail ballot in the General Election:
• By drop box—Drop off the completed vote-by-mail ballot at a secure official drop box in their county or anywhere in the state between October 8 through 8:00 p.m. on November 5.
• By mail—Place the completed vote-by-mail ballot into a mailbox. Ballots must be postmarked by November 5. No stamp needed!
• In person—Drop off the completed vote-by-mail ballot by 8:00 p.m. on November 5 at any polling place or vote center in the state, or at the voter’s county elections office.
Voting locations will be available in all counties before Election Day.
Voting locations offer voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance.
Track it. Sign up to receive updates on the status of their vote-by-mail ballot. Voters can track a ballot they have mailed or dropped off by signing up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to receive text, email, or voice status alerts.
A complete list of drop box locations can be found on the Secretary of State’s Early Voting and Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-off Locations webpage at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.
Eligible citizens can register to vote or update their voter registration online at registertovote.ca.gov. The last day to register to vote for the November 5, 2024, General Election is October 21, 2024.
Eligible citizens who miss the October 21 deadline can participate in the “same day” voter registration process at their local county elections office or any in-person voting location. Californians who participate in same-day registration will be asked to fill out a voter registration form and be provided a ballot. Questions about the same-day voter registration process should be directed to their county elections office.
Another location acting as a polling center for SoCal residents is Hotel Figueroa, at 939 S. Figueroa Street. The hotel will be open to voting through November 5
