California

By Mail (Absentee Voting)

Every active, registered voter in California will be mailed a ballot. See info on how to register in California here (available in multiple languages). You may return your voted ballot by:

1. mailing it to your county elections official;
   
   • Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day.
   • If you are not sure your vote-by-mail ballot will arrive in time if mailed, bring it to any polling place in the state between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
2. returning it in person to any polling place within the state or the office of your county elections official;
   
   • Vote-by-mail ballots that are personally delivered must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
3. dropping your ballot off at a drop-off location or into a ballot drop box within the state; or
   
   • Vote-by-mail ballots that are personally delivered to a ballot drop-off location must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
4. authorizing someone to return the ballot on your behalf.
   
   • Anyone may return your ballot for you, as long as they do not get paid on a per ballot basis. In order for your ballot to be counted, you must fill out the authorization section found on the outside of your ballot envelope.

See details about voting by mail in California.

Early Voting 

Early voting is available in California, but varies based on your county. Please check to see the details of early voting in your county. Early voting typically ends the day before Election Day in most counties.

See details about early voting in your county

See contact info for county elections offices

In-Language Material

APIAVote sent translated mailers to over 1 million AAPI households in order to inform them on how, where and when to vote, in their preferred language. Click the link below to see the mailer sent to California:

California Voter Guide (Chinese simplified & Korean)

California Voter Guide (Chinese simplified & Vietnamese)

California Voter Guide (Vietnamese & Tagalog)