Our coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions affecting California and its diverse population.
Berkeley Voters To Decide Whether to Double City’s Soda Tax
Central Valley Farmers Face Rising Costs. Is It Enough to Flip a House Seat?
Halloween Treat: See the Bay Area's Bats Up Close
California Lawmakers and Drivers Pressure Regulators to Reign In Autonomous Vehicles
Gavin Newsom Has Till Monday To Make Key Wildfire Safety Decision
Advocates Defend Noncitizen Voting in SF School Board Races, as Trump Targets Voter Rolls
DOJ Subpoenas California Election Officials, Despite Judge’s Order to Stop Threatening Them
Election 2026: Where Can I Drop Off My Midterm Ballot This Weekend— or Vote Early?
Midterms 2026: How to Correct a Mistake on Your Ballot (and Make Sure Your Vote’s Counted in Time)
Ghosts and Glamour Take the San Francisco Stage
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Classes let out at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> High School at 3:33 pm on a recent weekday, and within minutes, scores of teenagers streamed into the Target a few blocks away on Shattuck Avenue for their afternoon soda fix.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sophomore Kiko Kopman stood in the check-out line clutching a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull, a near-daily purchase to keep him going through his early mornings and long days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I usually try to match the Red Bull to the outfit, and if there’s no good match, then to the hair,” he said, pointing toward his spiky hot pink do. “So, gotta go with the hot pink Red Bull.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002471\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiko Kopman poses for a photo holding a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kopman said the caffeine content drove his purchase, but he was hit with some sticker shock when he looked at how much sugar was in it — 38 grams — and learned that the tax on his 12-ounce sugary drink could double in the near future, from 12 cents to 24 cents. That’s if Berkeley voters pass \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.org/\">Measure AA\u003c/a> this November, raising the soda tax from 1 cent per fluid ounce to 2 cents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">first in the nation\u003c/a> to pass a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014 and, since then, seven other cities have followed suit, including Philadelphia, Seattle and most recently, Santa Cruz. But as these measures have succeeded as intended — persuading people to drink less soda — the tax revenues they bring in have dropped in kind, forcing Berkeley to propose doubling its tax in order to maintain the health and education programs that have come to depend on those revenues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Staring at the can in his hands, Kopman and several other teens said the price hike would definitely make them think twice before buying in the future.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’m on a budget right now,” said junior William Huff, who partakes in an occasional root beer at 7-Eleven, where the new tax on a Big Gulp could run between 64 cents and $1.28. “Prices have definitely been on my mind, like the price of college, price of housing for college. So being put into a situation where I have to be wise with my money will definitely change my spending habits.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This kind of behavior change is exactly the outcome hoped for by proponents of soda taxes: to get people to reduce their consumption of sugary drinks as a means of improving health. Research from the past decade indicates that such taxes have worked.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They’ve reduced intake of sugar, they’ve improved weight status,” said Sara Bleich, public health policy professor at Harvard. “They’ve also improved oral health; they’ve improved pregnancy and birth outcomes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Early on, critics hypothesized that people would simply travel to neighboring cities without the tax to buy their soda and sports drinks. \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733208\">Studies show\u003c/a> this did happen, but it only accounted for a fraction of the decline in sugar-sweetened beverage sales — when controlling for cross-border shopping, sugary drink purchases still plummeted 33% across five cities: Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Boulder. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The health benefits of reducing sugar followed. Studies find an association between cities with soda taxes and reduced body mass index among \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821695\">children\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165176523005335\">high school students\u003c/a>, as well as a decrease in obesity among \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34902003/\">adolescent girls\u003c/a>. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863896/\">tooth decay among low-income children\u003c/a> fell 30% in the two years after the soda tax was implemented.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1463\" data-id=\"2002467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e-768x562.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e-1536x1124.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sodas on shelves at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"2002465\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002465\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ramona Cohen shops for a Yerba Mate during her lunch break at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have been in the health policy world for 20 years, and there are very, very few things that provide those sorts of outcomes,” Bleich said. “It’s the largest behavioral impact I’ve ever seen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Berkeley, the soda tax worked so well, it started to work against itself. As people bought less soda, tax revenues slumped, from $1.5 million a year to $1 million. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://picapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Phila-Bev-Tax-Fact-Sheet.pdf\">tax revenues fell\u003c/a> from $77 million to $68 million over seven years. This is the curse of so-called vice taxes: as they become more successful at curbing bad habits, the programs that depend on the tax revenues begin to suffer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the reasoning behind Berkeley’s attempt to double its soda tax: to raise more money for the health services and education programs funded by the tax. Martin Bourque, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://theecologycenter.org/\">the Ecology Center\u003c/a>, one of the backers of the soda tax, said almost a full generation of kids have been educated through soda-tax funded healthy eating programs, from the preschool level to elementary school and into the teenage years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>We’re hitting susceptible, vulnerable young people at multiple points as they come through these organizations and educational institutions,” he said. “We need to keep doing that. We need to do more of it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The beverage industry has fought vociferously to defeat soda taxes. Before Berkeley, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">30 other cities\u003c/a> had attempted to pass one and failed. The industry spent $2.3 million opposing Berkeley’s initial campaign in 2014, and though it’s spent nothing this time around, it contends the increased tax will only do harm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Doubling taxes on groceries when family budgets are already stretched thin will hurt Berkeley families, small businesses and their employees,” said Steven Maviglio of the American Beverage Association of California. “They disproportionately burden those who can least afford it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the E-Z Stop Deli on Shattuck, owner Ali Ereikat said he is not a fan of raising the soda tax. He thinks teaching kids about the harms of sugar is the better way to go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Education is more important than penalizing,” he said. “Educate them. Don’t charge them more.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002469\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">William Huff poses for a photo holding a Sprite bottle outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed, education is a key focus of the Berkeley tax revenue. About half the funds are used to provide health services to low-income communities, including primary and dental care, while the other half funds nutrition classes and gardening programs at Berkeley public schools — classes that Kopman took in middle school.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The image that popped into my head was like a pile of sugar,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said he remembers a demonstration where the teacher lined up a can of Coke, iced tea, fruit punch and water. Then, to illustrate the sugar content of each one, spooned an actual pile of sugar onto the table.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Some of those were crazy,” Kopman said, adding, if the tax money goes to a good cause like that, “then I think there’s no reason not to have it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Classes let out at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> High School at 3:33 pm on a recent weekday, and within minutes, scores of teenagers streamed into the Target a few blocks away on Shattuck Avenue for their afternoon soda fix.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sophomore Kiko Kopman stood in the check-out line clutching a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull, a near-daily purchase to keep him going through his early mornings and long days.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sophomore Kiko Kopman stood in the check-out line clutching a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull, a near-daily purchase to keep him going through his early mornings and long days.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I usually try to match the Red Bull to the outfit, and if there’s no good match, then to the hair,” he said, pointing toward his spiky hot pink do. “So, gotta go with the hot pink Red Bull.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002471\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiko Kopman poses for a photo holding a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002471\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiko Kopman poses for a photo holding a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kopman said the caffeine content drove his purchase, but he was hit with some sticker shock when he looked at how much sugar was in it — 38 grams — and learned that the tax on his 12-ounce sugary drink could double in the near future, from 12 cents to 24 cents. That’s if Berkeley voters pass \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.org/\">Measure AA\u003c/a> this November, raising the soda tax from 1 cent per fluid ounce to 2 cents. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kopman said the caffeine content drove his purchase, but he was hit with some sticker shock when he looked at how much sugar was in it — 38 grams — and learned that the tax on his 12-ounce sugary drink could double in the near future, from 12 cents to 24 cents. That’s if Berkeley voters pass \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.org/\">Measure AA\u003c/a> this November, raising the soda tax from 1 cent per fluid ounce to 2 cents. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">first in the nation\u003c/a> to pass a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014 and, since then, seven other cities have followed suit, including Philadelphia, Seattle and most recently, Santa Cruz. But as these measures have succeeded as intended — persuading people to drink less soda — the tax revenues they bring in have dropped in kind, forcing Berkeley to propose doubling its tax in order to maintain the health and education programs that have come to depend on those revenues. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">first in the nation\u003c/a> to pass a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014 and, since then, seven other cities have followed suit, including Philadelphia, Seattle and most recently, Santa Cruz. But as these measures have succeeded as intended — persuading people to drink less soda — the tax revenues they bring in have dropped in kind, forcing Berkeley to propose doubling its tax in order to maintain the health and education programs that have come to depend on those revenues. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Staring at the can in his hands, Kopman and several other teens said the price hike would definitely make them think twice before buying in the future.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Staring at the can in his hands, Kopman and several other teens said the price hike would definitely make them think twice before buying in the future.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m on a budget right now,” said junior William Huff, who partakes in an occasional root beer at 7-Eleven, where the new tax on a Big Gulp could run between 64 cents and $1.28. “Prices have definitely been on my mind, like the price of college, price of housing for college. So being put into a situation where I have to be wise with my money will definitely change my spending habits.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’m on a budget right now,” said junior William Huff, who partakes in an occasional root beer at 7-Eleven, where the new tax on a Big Gulp could run between 64 cents and $1.28. “Prices have definitely been on my mind, like the price of college, price of housing for college. So being put into a situation where I have to be wise with my money will definitely change my spending habits.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This kind of behavior change is exactly the outcome hoped for by proponents of soda taxes: to get people to reduce their consumption of sugary drinks as a means of improving health. Research from the past decade indicates that such taxes have worked.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This kind of behavior change is exactly the outcome hoped for by proponents of soda taxes: to get people to reduce their consumption of sugary drinks as a means of improving health. Research from the past decade indicates that such taxes have worked.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They’ve reduced intake of sugar, they’ve improved weight status,” said Sara Bleich, public health policy professor at Harvard. “They’ve also improved oral health; they’ve improved pregnancy and birth outcomes.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“They’ve reduced intake of sugar, they’ve improved weight status,” said Sara Bleich, public health policy professor at Harvard. “They’ve also improved oral health; they’ve improved pregnancy and birth outcomes.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Early on, critics hypothesized that people would simply travel to neighboring cities without the tax to buy their soda and sports drinks. \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733208\">Studies show\u003c/a> this did happen, but it only accounted for a fraction of the decline in sugar-sweetened beverage sales — when controlling for cross-border shopping, sugary drink purchases still plummeted 33% across five cities: Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Boulder. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Early on, critics hypothesized that people would simply travel to neighboring cities without the tax to buy their soda and sports drinks. \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733208\">Studies show\u003c/a> this did happen, but it only accounted for a fraction of the decline in sugar-sweetened beverage sales — when controlling for cross-border shopping, sugary drink purchases still plummeted 33% across five cities: Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Boulder. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The health benefits of reducing sugar followed. Studies find an association between cities with soda taxes and reduced body mass index among \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821695\">children\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165176523005335\">high school students\u003c/a>, as well as a decrease in obesity among \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34902003/\">adolescent girls\u003c/a>. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863896/\">tooth decay among low-income children\u003c/a> fell 30% in the two years after the soda tax was implemented.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The health benefits of reducing sugar followed. Studies find an association between cities with soda taxes and reduced body mass index among \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821695\">children\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165176523005335\">high school students\u003c/a>, as well as a decrease in obesity among \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34902003/\">adolescent girls\u003c/a>. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863896/\">tooth decay among low-income children\u003c/a> fell 30% in the two years after the soda tax was implemented.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002467\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sodas on shelves at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002465\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ramona Cohen shops for a Yerba Mate during her lunch break at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002465\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ramona Cohen shops for a Yerba Mate during her lunch break at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Berkeley, the soda tax worked so well, it started to work against itself. As people bought less soda, tax revenues slumped, from $1.5 million a year to $1 million. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://picapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Phila-Bev-Tax-Fact-Sheet.pdf\">tax revenues fell\u003c/a> from $77 million to $68 million over seven years. This is the curse of so-called vice taxes: as they become more successful at curbing bad habits, the programs that depend on the tax revenues begin to suffer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In Berkeley, the soda tax worked so well, it started to work against itself. As people bought less soda, tax revenues slumped, from $1.5 million a year to $1 million. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://picapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Phila-Bev-Tax-Fact-Sheet.pdf\">tax revenues fell\u003c/a> from $77 million to $68 million over seven years. This is the curse of so-called vice taxes: as they become more successful at curbing bad habits, the programs that depend on the tax revenues begin to suffer.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is the reasoning behind Berkeley’s attempt to double its soda tax: to raise more money for the health services and education programs funded by the tax. Martin Bourque, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://theecologycenter.org/\">the Ecology Center\u003c/a>, one of the backers of the soda tax, said almost a full generation of kids have been educated through soda-tax funded healthy eating programs, from the preschool level to elementary school and into the teenage years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is the reasoning behind Berkeley’s attempt to double its soda tax: to raise more money for the health services and education programs funded by the tax. Martin Bourque, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://theecologycenter.org/\">the Ecology Center\u003c/a>, one of the backers of the soda tax, said almost a full generation of kids have been educated through soda-tax funded healthy eating programs, from the preschool level to elementary school and into the teenage years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>We’re hitting susceptible, vulnerable young people at multiple points as they come through these organizations and educational institutions,” he said. “We need to keep doing that. We need to do more of it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>We’re hitting susceptible, vulnerable young people at multiple points as they come through these organizations and educational institutions,” he said. “We need to keep doing that. We need to do more of it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The beverage industry has fought vociferously to defeat soda taxes. Before Berkeley, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">30 other cities\u003c/a> had attempted to pass one and failed. The industry spent $2.3 million opposing Berkeley’s initial campaign in 2014, and though it’s spent nothing this time around, it contends the increased tax will only do harm.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The beverage industry has fought vociferously to defeat soda taxes. Before Berkeley, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">30 other cities\u003c/a> had attempted to pass one and failed. The industry spent $2.3 million opposing Berkeley’s initial campaign in 2014, and though it’s spent nothing this time around, it contends the increased tax will only do harm.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Doubling taxes on groceries when family budgets are already stretched thin will hurt Berkeley families, small businesses and their employees,” said Steven Maviglio of the American Beverage Association of California. “They disproportionately burden those who can least afford it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Doubling taxes on groceries when family budgets are already stretched thin will hurt Berkeley families, small businesses and their employees,” said Steven Maviglio of the American Beverage Association of California. “They disproportionately burden those who can least afford it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At the E-Z Stop Deli on Shattuck, owner Ali Ereikat said he is not a fan of raising the soda tax. He thinks teaching kids about the harms of sugar is the better way to go.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At the E-Z Stop Deli on Shattuck, owner Ali Ereikat said he is not a fan of raising the soda tax. He thinks teaching kids about the harms of sugar is the better way to go.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Education is more important than penalizing,” he said. “Educate them. Don’t charge them more.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Education is more important than penalizing,” he said. “Educate them. Don’t charge them more.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002469\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">William Huff poses for a photo holding a Sprite bottle outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Indeed, education is a key focus of the Berkeley tax revenue. About half the funds are used to provide health services to low-income communities, including primary and dental care, while the other half funds nutrition classes and gardening programs at Berkeley public schools — classes that Kopman took in middle school.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Indeed, education is a key focus of the Berkeley tax revenue. About half the funds are used to provide health services to low-income communities, including primary and dental care, while the other half funds nutrition classes and gardening programs at Berkeley public schools — classes that Kopman took in middle school.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The image that popped into my head was like a pile of sugar,” he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He said he remembers a demonstration where the teacher lined up a can of Coke, iced tea, fruit punch and water. Then, to illustrate the sugar content of each one, spooned an actual pile of sugar onto the table.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He said he remembers a demonstration where the teacher lined up a can of Coke, iced tea, fruit punch and water. Then, to illustrate the sugar content of each one, spooned an actual pile of sugar onto the table.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Some of those were crazy,” Kopman said, adding, if the tax money goes to a good cause like that, “then I think there’s no reason not to have it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Some of those were crazy,” Kopman said, adding, if the tax money goes to a good cause like that, “then I think there’s no reason not to have it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Berkeley was the first city in the U.S. to pass a tax on sugary drinks in 2014. This election, the city is asking voters to double it to 2 cents per fluid ounce.",
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"title": "Berkeley Voters To Decide Whether to Double City’s Soda Tax | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Classes let out at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/berkeley\">Berkeley\u003c/a> High School at 3:33 pm on a recent weekday, and within minutes, scores of teenagers streamed into the Target a few blocks away on Shattuck Avenue for their afternoon soda fix.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sophomore Kiko Kopman stood in the check-out line clutching a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull, a near-daily purchase to keep him going through his early mornings and long days.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I usually try to match the Red Bull to the outfit, and if there’s no good match, then to the hair,” he said, pointing toward his spiky hot pink do. “So, gotta go with the hot pink Red Bull.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002471\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-22-KQED-67c209e1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiko Kopman poses for a photo holding a wild-berry-flavored Red Bull outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kopman said the caffeine content drove his purchase, but he was hit with some sticker shock when he looked at how much sugar was in it — 38 grams — and learned that the tax on his 12-ounce sugary drink could double in the near future, from 12 cents to 24 cents. That’s if Berkeley voters pass \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyvsbigsoda.org/\">Measure AA\u003c/a> this November, raising the soda tax from 1 cent per fluid ounce to 2 cents. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city was the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">first in the nation\u003c/a> to pass a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014 and, since then, seven other cities have followed suit, including Philadelphia, Seattle and most recently, Santa Cruz. But as these measures have succeeded as intended — persuading people to drink less soda — the tax revenues they bring in have dropped in kind, forcing Berkeley to propose doubling its tax in order to maintain the health and education programs that have come to depend on those revenues. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Staring at the can in his hands, Kopman and several other teens said the price hike would definitely make them think twice before buying in the future.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’m on a budget right now,” said junior William Huff, who partakes in an occasional root beer at 7-Eleven, where the new tax on a Big Gulp could run between 64 cents and $1.28. “Prices have definitely been on my mind, like the price of college, price of housing for college. So being put into a situation where I have to be wise with my money will definitely change my spending habits.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This kind of behavior change is exactly the outcome hoped for by proponents of soda taxes: to get people to reduce their consumption of sugary drinks as a means of improving health. Research from the past decade indicates that such taxes have worked.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They’ve reduced intake of sugar, they’ve improved weight status,” said Sara Bleich, public health policy professor at Harvard. “They’ve also improved oral health; they’ve improved pregnancy and birth outcomes.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Early on, critics hypothesized that people would simply travel to neighboring cities without the tax to buy their soda and sports drinks. \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2733208\">Studies show\u003c/a> this did happen, but it only accounted for a fraction of the decline in sugar-sweetened beverage sales — when controlling for cross-border shopping, sugary drink purchases still plummeted 33% across five cities: Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Boulder. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The health benefits of reducing sugar followed. Studies find an association between cities with soda taxes and reduced body mass index among \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821695\">children\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165176523005335\">high school students\u003c/a>, as well as a decrease in obesity among \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34902003/\">adolescent girls\u003c/a>. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36863896/\">tooth decay among low-income children\u003c/a> fell 30% in the two years after the soda tax was implemented.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1463\" data-id=\"2002467\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002467\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e-768x562.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-12-KQED_1-02df7a8e-1536x1124.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sodas on shelves at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" data-id=\"2002465\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002465\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-2-KQED-ca5507d9-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ramona Cohen shops for a Yerba Mate during her lunch break at E-Z Stop Deli in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I have been in the health policy world for 20 years, and there are very, very few things that provide those sorts of outcomes,” Bleich said. “It’s the largest behavioral impact I’ve ever seen.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Berkeley, the soda tax worked so well, it started to work against itself. As people bought less soda, tax revenues slumped, from $1.5 million a year to $1 million. In Philadelphia, \u003ca href=\"https://picapa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Phila-Bev-Tax-Fact-Sheet.pdf\">tax revenues fell\u003c/a> from $77 million to $68 million over seven years. This is the curse of so-called vice taxes: as they become more successful at curbing bad habits, the programs that depend on the tax revenues begin to suffer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the reasoning behind Berkeley’s attempt to double its soda tax: to raise more money for the health services and education programs funded by the tax. Martin Bourque, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://theecologycenter.org/\">the Ecology Center\u003c/a>, one of the backers of the soda tax, said almost a full generation of kids have been educated through soda-tax funded healthy eating programs, from the preschool level to elementary school and into the teenage years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>“\u003c/strong>We’re hitting susceptible, vulnerable young people at multiple points as they come through these organizations and educational institutions,” he said. “We need to keep doing that. We need to do more of it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The beverage industry has fought vociferously to defeat soda taxes. Before Berkeley, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10347220/how-did-berkeley-pass-a-soda-tax-when-other-cities-failed\">30 other cities\u003c/a> had attempted to pass one and failed. The industry spent $2.3 million opposing Berkeley’s initial campaign in 2014, and though it’s spent nothing this time around, it contends the increased tax will only do harm.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Doubling taxes on groceries when family budgets are already stretched thin will hurt Berkeley families, small businesses and their employees,” said Steven Maviglio of the American Beverage Association of California. “They disproportionately burden those who can least afford it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the E-Z Stop Deli on Shattuck, owner Ali Ereikat said he is not a fan of raising the soda tax. He thinks teaching kids about the harms of sugar is the better way to go.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Education is more important than penalizing,” he said. “Educate them. Don’t charge them more.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2002469\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/10/20261029_SODATAX_GC-19-KQED-f23e0cff-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">William Huff poses for a photo holding a Sprite bottle outside of Target in Berkeley on Oct. 29, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed, education is a key focus of the Berkeley tax revenue. About half the funds are used to provide health services to low-income communities, including primary and dental care, while the other half funds nutrition classes and gardening programs at Berkeley public schools — classes that Kopman took in middle school.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The image that popped into my head was like a pile of sugar,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He said he remembers a demonstration where the teacher lined up a can of Coke, iced tea, fruit punch and water. Then, to illustrate the sugar content of each one, spooned an actual pile of sugar onto the table.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Some of those were crazy,” Kopman said, adding, if the tax money goes to a good cause like that, “then I think there’s no reason not to have it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "central-valley-farmers-face-rising-costs-is-it-enough-to-flip-a-house-seat",
"title": "Central Valley Farmers Face Rising Costs. Is It Enough to Flip a House Seat?",
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"headTitle": "Central Valley Farmers Face Rising Costs. Is It Enough to Flip a House Seat? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TULARE — As he walks through a barn where brown Jersey cows are feeding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106857/in-tight-central-valley-race-trumps-policies-could-impact-agriculture-vote\">Landon Fernandes\u003c/a> picks up handfuls of the feed and lists the ingredients: alfalfa hay, corn silage, wheat mill run, canola meal, cotton seed and almond hulls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His family-owned dairy operation grows or buys everything to make the feed for more than 10,000 animals a day, and they change the recipe regularly based on fluctuating costs. Fernandes estimates it typically accounts for 40% of the farm’s expenses but has surged by 10% as feed costs have climbed over the last 12 months. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The hardest thing about farming is you can’t control your price,” he said. “So you do the best you can to control your inputs, but sometimes that’s out of your hands as well.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernandes, 36, is a third-generation dairy farmer in Tulare and president of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. Like other farmers KQED spoke to ahead of the midterm election, he attributes those rising costs in part to President Donald Trump’s trade disputes and the war in Iran, which has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">driven up fuel prices\u003c/a>. Unlike feed ingredients, diesel has no substitute; Fernandes needs it to power his tractors, and higher prices raise the surcharges that trucking companies bill him for deliveries.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106942\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Landon Fernandes inspects soil at his family’s dairy farm, Fernjo Farms, in Tulare on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those economic pressures — and their ties to Trump in the eyes of some farmers — could spell trouble for the Republican Party here in the Central Valley, home to the heart of California’s agricultural production as well as the state’s only true toss-up House race this year, according to the nonpartisan \u003ca href=\"https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/481926\">Cook Political Report\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers, said he has never seen so many serious problems hit farmers all at once. The nonprofit represents family farmers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s sort of an existential crisis feeling across the agriculture industry,” Puglia said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernandes remembers shoveling manure, cleaning milk barns and cutting hay bales as a kid growing up on the ranch. It mostly produces milk that is processed into cheese, butter and whole milk powder, but they also planted an almond orchard in 2016 and a pistachio orchard in 2020 to diversify their income. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On top of rising costs for feed and fuel, the ranch is contending with falling milk prices, which Fernandes partly traces to Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. dairy, and rising labor costs, which he ties to the state minimum wage and agricultural overtime laws. The result, he said, is a “perfect storm” that has hurt his bottom line and forced him to draw on cash reserves and loans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A quarter of farmers rank the Trump administration as the most responsible for agriculture-related challenges, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.amatoadvisors.com/farmer-poll\">an April survey\u003c/a> commissioned by the firm Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal. Many costs, including diesel prices, have only risen since then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same poll found that 4 in 10 farmers are “persuadable” this year — as in, they are considering voting for a different party than they usually do. In the 22nd Congressional District, which spans parts of five counties in the San Joaquin Valley and where \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/congressional-district-22-ca\">farming, fishing and forestry\u003c/a> are the top employment sectors, that could put Rep. David Valadao to the test in the Nov. 3 midterm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Republican incumbent is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103863/valadao-villegas-debate-and-the-fight-for-latino-voters-in-the-central-valley\">defending his seat\u003c/a> against progressive Democrat Randy Villegas in a redrawn district that Trump won in 2024. Both are courting the farm vote, which has typically leaned Republican. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Villegas, a community college professor and son of Mexican immigrants, is running an economic populist campaign. His strategy is to tie Valadao to Trump policies that are unpopular with farmers, like allowing duty-free imports of lean beef trimmings for 90 days this fall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A farm in the Central Valley on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When they announce they are going to import 300,000 metric tons of beef from across the world, they’re literally undercutting our own ranchers and farmers here in the Central Valley and across the country,” Villegas said in an interview \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105844/randy-villegas-has-a-theory-of-how-to-win-in-the-central-valley\">with KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valadao is the son of Portuguese immigrants who came to California as dairy farmers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He did not respond to KQED’s interview requests, but at a televised debate this month, he leaned into his farming roots and directed blame for high costs to the state’s Democratic-led Legislature. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The fact that our fuel is so much higher has a lot more to do with Sacramento than anything else,” he said. “If we really want to change prices, we really need to focus on Sacramento, get some of those refineries back up and going, and produce as much fuel as we can here locally.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That message resonates with farmers here, who also see the state’s regulatory environment, water shortages and labor costs as drivers of the current crisis.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the past two years, I would definitely say there’s been increased unwanted activity in closures of farming businesses, flat out bankruptcies and asset sales, or more commonly, consolidation with larger and larger companies,” Puglia said. “I trace that as much to state policy as federal policy. I think both share some of the blame for that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Republicans nationally struggle to separate themselves from Trump, Republican strategist Liz Mair said Valadao is an exception. He has “cut a very independent profile” by breaking with his party on immigration and voting to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He is not a stereotypical Republican in any way, shape or form,” she said. “[That] has traditionally given him quite an advantage even in very tough election cycles.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valadao has won six of the last seven elections despite Democrats’ edge in voter registration here. His only loss came in the 2018 “blue wave.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, Villegas will have the advantage of a district redrawn further in Democrats’ favor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106022/california-democrats-rally-to-deliver-on-proposition-50-was-it-really-needed\">by Proposition 50\u003c/a>. Trump carried the 22nd Congressional District by almost 6 points in 2024 under the old lines, but if the redrawn boundaries were in effect, he would have won by less than 2, according to the California Target Book.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A campaign sign says, “Farmers for Hilton” in Tulare, in the Central Valley, on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valadao could also benefit from the district’s makeup. It’s a “unique district,” Mair said, where farmers don’t fit the same mold as farmers elsewhere in the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I think when you’re looking at California Central Valley farmers, they do tend to be a more conservative lot, but they’re not conservative in the way that MAGA is,” she said. “To me, there’s a libertarian versus big government conservative axis.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernandes is a registered Republican because he sees the party as aligned with less government oversight, less red tape and more economic growth. His father once registered as a Democrat, he said, but politics were never a priority growing up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We were always so busy working, we didn’t get too bogged down in the politics or the ‘drama’ as I call it sometimes,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106941\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dairy cows stand in a feeding pen at Fernjo Farms in Tulare on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even now, Fernandes insists he isn’t into politics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If he were to vote for a Democrat, he said, it would be a more moderate candidate than Villegas. Seeing Villegas rally alongside Democratic socialists like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez does not give him a “warm and fuzzy feeling,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other farmers in the district told KQED they don’t think Villegas is truly courting their vote. Lee Guthrie, a Tulare County cattle rancher, believes Villegas is more focused on the laborers who work the farms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I don’t think we’re his target voters,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Kern County Farm Bureau, which has officially endorsed Valadao, said it hasn’t heard from Villegas at all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked whom he has approached in the agricultural industry, Villegas said he spoke to local farmers who are worried about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016674/will-trump-deliver-more-water-to-californias-fields-farmers-hope-so\">water access\u003c/a>. He then pivoted to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104776/an-ice-surge-in-california-ahead-of-the-midterms-heres-what-we-know\">Trump administration’s attacks\u003c/a> on the people who make up much of the industry’s workforce. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Agriculture depends in large part on immigrant labor,” he said. “The fact that we are seeing that same workforce attacked by this administration is unjust.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Fernandes weighs his choice for Congress, Trump isn’t part of the calculation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’m pro-Valadao because Valadao is pro-ag,” he said. “Naturally, you’re going to vote for what better impacts you personally, your family, your business.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For his part, Fernandes said he doesn’t know a single person in agriculture here who’s voting for Villegas.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>TULARE — As he walks through a barn where brown Jersey cows are feeding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106857/in-tight-central-valley-race-trumps-policies-could-impact-agriculture-vote\">Landon Fernandes\u003c/a> picks up handfuls of the feed and lists the ingredients: alfalfa hay, corn silage, wheat mill run, canola meal, cotton seed and almond hulls. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>TULARE — As he walks through a barn where brown Jersey cows are feeding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106857/in-tight-central-valley-race-trumps-policies-could-impact-agriculture-vote\">Landon Fernandes\u003c/a> picks up handfuls of the feed and lists the ingredients: alfalfa hay, corn silage, wheat mill run, canola meal, cotton seed and almond hulls. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>His family-owned dairy operation grows or buys everything to make the feed for more than 10,000 animals a day, and they change the recipe regularly based on fluctuating costs. Fernandes estimates it typically accounts for 40% of the farm’s expenses but has surged by 10% as feed costs have climbed over the last 12 months. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>His family-owned dairy operation grows or buys everything to make the feed for more than 10,000 animals a day, and they change the recipe regularly based on fluctuating costs. Fernandes estimates it typically accounts for 40% of the farm’s expenses but has surged by 10% as feed costs have climbed over the last 12 months. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The hardest thing about farming is you can’t control your price,” he said. “So you do the best you can to control your inputs, but sometimes that’s out of your hands as well.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The hardest thing about farming is you can’t control your price,” he said. “So you do the best you can to control your inputs, but sometimes that’s out of your hands as well.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fernandes, 36, is a third-generation dairy farmer in Tulare and president of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. Like other farmers KQED spoke to ahead of the midterm election, he attributes those rising costs in part to President Donald Trump’s trade disputes and the war in Iran, which has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">driven up fuel prices\u003c/a>. Unlike feed ingredients, diesel has no substitute; Fernandes needs it to power his tractors, and higher prices raise the surcharges that trucking companies bill him for deliveries.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fernandes, 36, is a third-generation dairy farmer in Tulare and president of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. Like other farmers KQED spoke to ahead of the midterm election, he attributes those rising costs in part to President Donald Trump’s trade disputes and the war in Iran, which has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">driven up fuel prices\u003c/a>. Unlike feed ingredients, diesel has no substitute; Fernandes needs it to power his tractors, and higher prices raise the surcharges that trucking companies bill him for deliveries.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106942\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Landon Fernandes inspects soil at his family’s dairy farm, Fernjo Farms, in Tulare on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106942\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Landon Fernandes inspects soil at his family’s dairy farm, Fernjo Farms, in Tulare on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Those economic pressures — and their ties to Trump in the eyes of some farmers — could spell trouble for the Republican Party here in the Central Valley, home to the heart of California’s agricultural production as well as the state’s only true toss-up House race this year, according to the nonpartisan \u003ca href=\"https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/481926\">Cook Political Report\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Those economic pressures — and their ties to Trump in the eyes of some farmers — could spell trouble for the Republican Party here in the Central Valley, home to the heart of California’s agricultural production as well as the state’s only true toss-up House race this year, according to the nonpartisan \u003ca href=\"https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/481926\">Cook Political Report\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers, said he has never seen so many serious problems hit farmers all at once. The nonprofit represents family farmers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers, said he has never seen so many serious problems hit farmers all at once. The nonprofit represents family farmers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“There’s sort of an existential crisis feeling across the agriculture industry,” Puglia said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fernandes remembers shoveling manure, cleaning milk barns and cutting hay bales as a kid growing up on the ranch. It mostly produces milk that is processed into cheese, butter and whole milk powder, but they also planted an almond orchard in 2016 and a pistachio orchard in 2020 to diversify their income. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fernandes remembers shoveling manure, cleaning milk barns and cutting hay bales as a kid growing up on the ranch. It mostly produces milk that is processed into cheese, butter and whole milk powder, but they also planted an almond orchard in 2016 and a pistachio orchard in 2020 to diversify their income. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On top of rising costs for feed and fuel, the ranch is contending with falling milk prices, which Fernandes partly traces to Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. dairy, and rising labor costs, which he ties to the state minimum wage and agricultural overtime laws. The result, he said, is a “perfect storm” that has hurt his bottom line and forced him to draw on cash reserves and loans. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A quarter of farmers rank the Trump administration as the most responsible for agriculture-related challenges, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.amatoadvisors.com/farmer-poll\">an April survey\u003c/a> commissioned by the firm Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal. Many costs, including diesel prices, have only risen since then.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A quarter of farmers rank the Trump administration as the most responsible for agriculture-related challenges, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.amatoadvisors.com/farmer-poll\">an April survey\u003c/a> commissioned by the firm Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal. Many costs, including diesel prices, have only risen since then.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The same poll found that 4 in 10 farmers are “persuadable” this year — as in, they are considering voting for a different party than they usually do. In the 22nd Congressional District, which spans parts of five counties in the San Joaquin Valley and where \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/congressional-district-22-ca\">farming, fishing and forestry\u003c/a> are the top employment sectors, that could put Rep. David Valadao to the test in the Nov. 3 midterm. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The same poll found that 4 in 10 farmers are “persuadable” this year — as in, they are considering voting for a different party than they usually do. In the 22nd Congressional District, which spans parts of five counties in the San Joaquin Valley and where \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/congressional-district-22-ca\">farming, fishing and forestry\u003c/a> are the top employment sectors, that could put Rep. David Valadao to the test in the Nov. 3 midterm. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Republican incumbent is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103863/valadao-villegas-debate-and-the-fight-for-latino-voters-in-the-central-valley\">defending his seat\u003c/a> against progressive Democrat Randy Villegas in a redrawn district that Trump won in 2024. Both are courting the farm vote, which has typically leaned Republican. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Republican incumbent is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103863/valadao-villegas-debate-and-the-fight-for-latino-voters-in-the-central-valley\">defending his seat\u003c/a> against progressive Democrat Randy Villegas in a redrawn district that Trump won in 2024. Both are courting the farm vote, which has typically leaned Republican. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Villegas, a community college professor and son of Mexican immigrants, is running an economic populist campaign. His strategy is to tie Valadao to Trump policies that are unpopular with farmers, like allowing duty-free imports of lean beef trimmings for 90 days this fall.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Villegas, a community college professor and son of Mexican immigrants, is running an economic populist campaign. His strategy is to tie Valadao to Trump policies that are unpopular with farmers, like allowing duty-free imports of lean beef trimmings for 90 days this fall.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A farm in the Central Valley on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106946\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A farm in the Central Valley on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When they announce they are going to import 300,000 metric tons of beef from across the world, they’re literally undercutting our own ranchers and farmers here in the Central Valley and across the country,” Villegas said in an interview \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105844/randy-villegas-has-a-theory-of-how-to-win-in-the-central-valley\">with KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When they announce they are going to import 300,000 metric tons of beef from across the world, they’re literally undercutting our own ranchers and farmers here in the Central Valley and across the country,” Villegas said in an interview \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105844/randy-villegas-has-a-theory-of-how-to-win-in-the-central-valley\">with KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Valadao is the son of Portuguese immigrants who came to California as dairy farmers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Valadao is the son of Portuguese immigrants who came to California as dairy farmers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He did not respond to KQED’s interview requests, but at a televised debate this month, he leaned into his farming roots and directed blame for high costs to the state’s Democratic-led Legislature. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>He did not respond to KQED’s interview requests, but at a televised debate this month, he leaned into his farming roots and directed blame for high costs to the state’s Democratic-led Legislature. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The fact that our fuel is so much higher has a lot more to do with Sacramento than anything else,” he said. “If we really want to change prices, we really need to focus on Sacramento, get some of those refineries back up and going, and produce as much fuel as we can here locally.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The fact that our fuel is so much higher has a lot more to do with Sacramento than anything else,” he said. “If we really want to change prices, we really need to focus on Sacramento, get some of those refineries back up and going, and produce as much fuel as we can here locally.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That message resonates with farmers here, who also see the state’s regulatory environment, water shortages and labor costs as drivers of the current crisis.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That message resonates with farmers here, who also see the state’s regulatory environment, water shortages and labor costs as drivers of the current crisis.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the past two years, I would definitely say there’s been increased unwanted activity in closures of farming businesses, flat out bankruptcies and asset sales, or more commonly, consolidation with larger and larger companies,” Puglia said. “I trace that as much to state policy as federal policy. I think both share some of the blame for that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In the past two years, I would definitely say there’s been increased unwanted activity in closures of farming businesses, flat out bankruptcies and asset sales, or more commonly, consolidation with larger and larger companies,” Puglia said. “I trace that as much to state policy as federal policy. I think both share some of the blame for that.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Republicans nationally struggle to separate themselves from Trump, Republican strategist Liz Mair said Valadao is an exception. He has “cut a very independent profile” by breaking with his party on immigration and voting to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Republicans nationally struggle to separate themselves from Trump, Republican strategist Liz Mair said Valadao is an exception. He has “cut a very independent profile” by breaking with his party on immigration and voting to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, she said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“He is not a stereotypical Republican in any way, shape or form,” she said. “[That] has traditionally given him quite an advantage even in very tough election cycles.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“He is not a stereotypical Republican in any way, shape or form,” she said. “[That] has traditionally given him quite an advantage even in very tough election cycles.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Valadao has won six of the last seven elections despite Democrats’ edge in voter registration here. His only loss came in the 2018 “blue wave.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Valadao has won six of the last seven elections despite Democrats’ edge in voter registration here. His only loss came in the 2018 “blue wave.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This year, Villegas will have the advantage of a district redrawn further in Democrats’ favor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106022/california-democrats-rally-to-deliver-on-proposition-50-was-it-really-needed\">by Proposition 50\u003c/a>. Trump carried the 22nd Congressional District by almost 6 points in 2024 under the old lines, but if the redrawn boundaries were in effect, he would have won by less than 2, according to the California Target Book.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This year, Villegas will have the advantage of a district redrawn further in Democrats’ favor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106022/california-democrats-rally-to-deliver-on-proposition-50-was-it-really-needed\">by Proposition 50\u003c/a>. Trump carried the 22nd Congressional District by almost 6 points in 2024 under the old lines, but if the redrawn boundaries were in effect, he would have won by less than 2, according to the California Target Book.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A campaign sign says, “Farmers for Hilton” in Tulare, in the Central Valley, on Oct. 21, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Valadao could also benefit from the district’s makeup. It’s a “unique district,” Mair said, where farmers don’t fit the same mold as farmers elsewhere in the country. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think when you’re looking at California Central Valley farmers, they do tend to be a more conservative lot, but they’re not conservative in the way that MAGA is,” she said. “To me, there’s a libertarian versus big government conservative axis.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I think when you’re looking at California Central Valley farmers, they do tend to be a more conservative lot, but they’re not conservative in the way that MAGA is,” she said. “To me, there’s a libertarian versus big government conservative axis.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Fernandes is a registered Republican because he sees the party as aligned with less government oversight, less red tape and more economic growth. His father once registered as a Democrat, he said, but politics were never a priority growing up. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Fernandes is a registered Republican because he sees the party as aligned with less government oversight, less red tape and more economic growth. His father once registered as a Democrat, he said, but politics were never a priority growing up. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We were always so busy working, we didn’t get too bogged down in the politics or the ‘drama’ as I call it sometimes,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even now, Fernandes insists he isn’t into politics. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If he were to vote for a Democrat, he said, it would be a more moderate candidate than Villegas. Seeing Villegas rally alongside Democratic socialists like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez does not give him a “warm and fuzzy feeling,” he said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If he were to vote for a Democrat, he said, it would be a more moderate candidate than Villegas. Seeing Villegas rally alongside Democratic socialists like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez does not give him a “warm and fuzzy feeling,” he said. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other farmers in the district told KQED they don’t think Villegas is truly courting their vote. Lee Guthrie, a Tulare County cattle rancher, believes Villegas is more focused on the laborers who work the farms. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other farmers in the district told KQED they don’t think Villegas is truly courting their vote. Lee Guthrie, a Tulare County cattle rancher, believes Villegas is more focused on the laborers who work the farms. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t think we’re his target voters,” she said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Kern County Farm Bureau, which has officially endorsed Valadao, said it hasn’t heard from Villegas at all. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When asked whom he has approached in the agricultural industry, Villegas said he spoke to local farmers who are worried about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016674/will-trump-deliver-more-water-to-californias-fields-farmers-hope-so\">water access\u003c/a>. He then pivoted to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104776/an-ice-surge-in-california-ahead-of-the-midterms-heres-what-we-know\">Trump administration’s attacks\u003c/a> on the people who make up much of the industry’s workforce. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When asked whom he has approached in the agricultural industry, Villegas said he spoke to local farmers who are worried about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016674/will-trump-deliver-more-water-to-californias-fields-farmers-hope-so\">water access\u003c/a>. He then pivoted to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104776/an-ice-surge-in-california-ahead-of-the-midterms-heres-what-we-know\">Trump administration’s attacks\u003c/a> on the people who make up much of the industry’s workforce. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Agriculture depends in large part on immigrant labor,” he said. “The fact that we are seeing that same workforce attacked by this administration is unjust.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Agriculture depends in large part on immigrant labor,” he said. “The fact that we are seeing that same workforce attacked by this administration is unjust.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As Fernandes weighs his choice for Congress, Trump isn’t part of the calculation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I’m pro-Valadao because Valadao is pro-ag,” he said. “Naturally, you’re going to vote for what better impacts you personally, your family, your business.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I’m pro-Valadao because Valadao is pro-ag,” he said. “Naturally, you’re going to vote for what better impacts you personally, your family, your business.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For his part, Fernandes said he doesn’t know a single person in agriculture here who’s voting for Villegas.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Farmers and ranchers are typically a reliable Republican voting bloc, but that may shift this midterm election as federal policies drive discontent among agricultural communities. ",
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"title": "Central Valley Farmers Face Rising Costs. Is It Enough to Flip a House Seat? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TULARE — As he walks through a barn where brown Jersey cows are feeding, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106857/in-tight-central-valley-race-trumps-policies-could-impact-agriculture-vote\">Landon Fernandes\u003c/a> picks up handfuls of the feed and lists the ingredients: alfalfa hay, corn silage, wheat mill run, canola meal, cotton seed and almond hulls. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His family-owned dairy operation grows or buys everything to make the feed for more than 10,000 animals a day, and they change the recipe regularly based on fluctuating costs. Fernandes estimates it typically accounts for 40% of the farm’s expenses but has surged by 10% as feed costs have climbed over the last 12 months. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The hardest thing about farming is you can’t control your price,” he said. “So you do the best you can to control your inputs, but sometimes that’s out of your hands as well.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernandes, 36, is a third-generation dairy farmer in Tulare and president of the Tulare County Farm Bureau. Like other farmers KQED spoke to ahead of the midterm election, he attributes those rising costs in part to President Donald Trump’s trade disputes and the war in Iran, which has \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104393/california-democrats-hope-iran-war-flips-the-script-on-gas-prices\">driven up fuel prices\u003c/a>. Unlike feed ingredients, diesel has no substitute; Fernandes needs it to power his tractors, and higher prices raise the surcharges that trucking companies bill him for deliveries.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106942\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-18-BL-KQED-c38c2790-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Landon Fernandes inspects soil at his family’s dairy farm, Fernjo Farms, in Tulare on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those economic pressures — and their ties to Trump in the eyes of some farmers — could spell trouble for the Republican Party here in the Central Valley, home to the heart of California’s agricultural production as well as the state’s only true toss-up House race this year, according to the nonpartisan \u003ca href=\"https://www.cookpolitical.com/house/race/481926\">Cook Political Report\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers, said he has never seen so many serious problems hit farmers all at once. The nonprofit represents family farmers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“There’s sort of an existential crisis feeling across the agriculture industry,” Puglia said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernandes remembers shoveling manure, cleaning milk barns and cutting hay bales as a kid growing up on the ranch. It mostly produces milk that is processed into cheese, butter and whole milk powder, but they also planted an almond orchard in 2016 and a pistachio orchard in 2020 to diversify their income. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On top of rising costs for feed and fuel, the ranch is contending with falling milk prices, which Fernandes partly traces to Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. dairy, and rising labor costs, which he ties to the state minimum wage and agricultural overtime laws. The result, he said, is a “perfect storm” that has hurt his bottom line and forced him to draw on cash reserves and loans. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A quarter of farmers rank the Trump administration as the most responsible for agriculture-related challenges, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.amatoadvisors.com/farmer-poll\">an April survey\u003c/a> commissioned by the firm Amato Advisors and conducted by Farm Journal. Many costs, including diesel prices, have only risen since then.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same poll found that 4 in 10 farmers are “persuadable” this year — as in, they are considering voting for a different party than they usually do. In the 22nd Congressional District, which spans parts of five counties in the San Joaquin Valley and where \u003ca href=\"https://datausa.io/profile/geo/congressional-district-22-ca\">farming, fishing and forestry\u003c/a> are the top employment sectors, that could put Rep. David Valadao to the test in the Nov. 3 midterm. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Republican incumbent is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103863/valadao-villegas-debate-and-the-fight-for-latino-voters-in-the-central-valley\">defending his seat\u003c/a> against progressive Democrat Randy Villegas in a redrawn district that Trump won in 2024. Both are courting the farm vote, which has typically leaned Republican. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Villegas, a community college professor and son of Mexican immigrants, is running an economic populist campaign. His strategy is to tie Valadao to Trump policies that are unpopular with farmers, like allowing duty-free imports of lean beef trimmings for 90 days this fall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106946\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-42-BL-KQED-66e8cac7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A farm in the Central Valley on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When they announce they are going to import 300,000 metric tons of beef from across the world, they’re literally undercutting our own ranchers and farmers here in the Central Valley and across the country,” Villegas said in an interview \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105844/randy-villegas-has-a-theory-of-how-to-win-in-the-central-valley\">with KQED’s Political Breakdown\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valadao is the son of Portuguese immigrants who came to California as dairy farmers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He did not respond to KQED’s interview requests, but at a televised debate this month, he leaned into his farming roots and directed blame for high costs to the state’s Democratic-led Legislature. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The fact that our fuel is so much higher has a lot more to do with Sacramento than anything else,” he said. “If we really want to change prices, we really need to focus on Sacramento, get some of those refineries back up and going, and produce as much fuel as we can here locally.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That message resonates with farmers here, who also see the state’s regulatory environment, water shortages and labor costs as drivers of the current crisis.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the past two years, I would definitely say there’s been increased unwanted activity in closures of farming businesses, flat out bankruptcies and asset sales, or more commonly, consolidation with larger and larger companies,” Puglia said. “I trace that as much to state policy as federal policy. I think both share some of the blame for that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Republicans nationally struggle to separate themselves from Trump, Republican strategist Liz Mair said Valadao is an exception. He has “cut a very independent profile” by breaking with his party on immigration and voting to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“He is not a stereotypical Republican in any way, shape or form,” she said. “[That] has traditionally given him quite an advantage even in very tough election cycles.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valadao has won six of the last seven elections despite Democrats’ edge in voter registration here. His only loss came in the 2018 “blue wave.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This year, Villegas will have the advantage of a district redrawn further in Democrats’ favor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106022/california-democrats-rally-to-deliver-on-proposition-50-was-it-really-needed\">by Proposition 50\u003c/a>. Trump carried the 22nd Congressional District by almost 6 points in 2024 under the old lines, but if the redrawn boundaries were in effect, he would have won by less than 2, according to the California Target Book.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106945\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-34-BL-KQED-7ea7244f-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A campaign sign says, “Farmers for Hilton” in Tulare, in the Central Valley, on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Valadao could also benefit from the district’s makeup. It’s a “unique district,” Mair said, where farmers don’t fit the same mold as farmers elsewhere in the country. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I think when you’re looking at California Central Valley farmers, they do tend to be a more conservative lot, but they’re not conservative in the way that MAGA is,” she said. “To me, there’s a libertarian versus big government conservative axis.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernandes is a registered Republican because he sees the party as aligned with less government oversight, less red tape and more economic growth. His father once registered as a Democrat, he said, but politics were never a priority growing up. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We were always so busy working, we didn’t get too bogged down in the politics or the ‘drama’ as I call it sometimes,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106941\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261021-CA22Farming-13-BL-KQED-0ccda6c3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dairy cows stand in a feeding pen at Fernjo Farms in Tulare on Oct. 21, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even now, Fernandes insists he isn’t into politics. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If he were to vote for a Democrat, he said, it would be a more moderate candidate than Villegas. Seeing Villegas rally alongside Democratic socialists like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez does not give him a “warm and fuzzy feeling,” he said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other farmers in the district told KQED they don’t think Villegas is truly courting their vote. Lee Guthrie, a Tulare County cattle rancher, believes Villegas is more focused on the laborers who work the farms. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I don’t think we’re his target voters,” she said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Kern County Farm Bureau, which has officially endorsed Valadao, said it hasn’t heard from Villegas at all. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked whom he has approached in the agricultural industry, Villegas said he spoke to local farmers who are worried about \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016674/will-trump-deliver-more-water-to-californias-fields-farmers-hope-so\">water access\u003c/a>. He then pivoted to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12104776/an-ice-surge-in-california-ahead-of-the-midterms-heres-what-we-know\">Trump administration’s attacks\u003c/a> on the people who make up much of the industry’s workforce. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Agriculture depends in large part on immigrant labor,” he said. “The fact that we are seeing that same workforce attacked by this administration is unjust.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Fernandes weighs his choice for Congress, Trump isn’t part of the calculation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I’m pro-Valadao because Valadao is pro-ag,” he said. “Naturally, you’re going to vote for what better impacts you personally, your family, your business.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For his part, Fernandes said he doesn’t know a single person in agriculture here who’s voting for Villegas.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "halloween-treat-see-the-bay-areas-bats-up-close",
"title": "Halloween Treat: See the Bay Area's Bats Up Close",
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"headTitle": "Halloween Treat: See the Bay Area’s Bats Up Close | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s Halloween: The leaves are changing, the clocks are about to fall back on Sunday, and the Bay Area’s spooky, night-loving animals are in the spotlight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No — not raccoons or owls. \u003cem>Bats\u003c/em>, the tiny, flitting mammals that are so numerous they represent around one-fifth of all living mammals on Earth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In San Francisco alone, we have six species of bats. And there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/article/bats-bay-area-why-they-matter-and-what-we-can-do-them\">16 species all across the Bay Area\u003c/a>, according to Corky Quirk, founder of NorCal Bats, an organization dedicated to bat rescue and education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fact, here in the Bay Area, bats are kind of … everywhere. Quirk brought her “bat ambassadors” (also known as “am-bat-ssadors”) into the KQED studios to tell us more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#where-to-meet-bat-ambassadors-this-fall\">Where to meet bat ambassadors up-close in the Bay Area this fall\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Why are there so many bats in the Bay Area?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the permission of our facilities team, Quirk brought in three rescued bats, all of different species — the Mexican free-tailed bat, the big brown bat and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1915923/these-whispering-walking-bats-are-onto-something\">pallid bat\u003c/a>, which is California’s state bat. These bats are all native to the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DfIKs9cvvRO/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We do see them often in San Francisco,” Quirk said. “They’ll be between some of the buildings that are near each other with a 1-inch gap — or they’ll be sometimes behind some of the business signs.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for why these bats are so commonly found squeezed into tight spaces, “historically they would have been in cave and rock outcroppings and dead trees,” Quirk said. “But those aren’t so much around here, so they’ve adapted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest mammal on Earth, Quirk said, able to fly just under 100 miles an hour. And the little critters don’t zoom alone: Here, bat colony sizes can be in the thousands — sometimes the hundreds of thousands. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further south, in some of the caves of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, “the species is in the millions,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The “am-bat-ssadors” she brought in don’t have names, Quirk said, because they aren’t pets. But they are pretty cute.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One bat in particular was found on the ground with a broken wing and can no longer fly — after what Quirk suspects was a tussle with a local cat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And while she’s now recovered and healthy, this bat won’t ever return to the wild, Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Skin heals, broken bones are harder to fix,” Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2py029bwhA\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do bats contribute to our ecosystem?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are no fruit bats in the Bay Area, so our region’s bats mostly eat insects. And their role in the local ecosystem can be critical. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I call them the farmer’s best friend because they’re eating a tremendous amount of moth — and moth larva can be a pretty significant crop pest,” Quirk said. “So these guys are helping us by reducing insecticide use and helping the farmers by reducing crop loss.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/echolocation.htm\">Echolocation\u003c/a> is a bat’s main way of hunting insects. The noises they make are outside of a human’s range of hearing, but Quirk brought a device that picks up the rapid pinging so we could hear it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In a still from our video, Corky Quirk demonstrates how she picks up the sounds of bats. (Vivian Morales/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“And then right before they decide if they wanna eat it or not, those pulses are very rapid,” Quirk said. “We call that the feeding buzz.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bat populations are actually in decline, in part due to habitat loss. There’s also the problem of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-white-nose-syndrome.htm\">white-nose syndrome\u003c/a>, a deadly fungus which causes bats to wake up too often during hibernation. This condition has killed millions of bats in the United States in just a decade, Quirk said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They burn up all their calories, and they starve in the winter,” she said. “It’s a huge concern.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aren’t bats dangerous?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bats are the number one reservoir of rabies, which is virtually always \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">fatal\u003c/a> to humans — only a very small number of people worldwide have ever survived symptomatic rabies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, it’s super important to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">protect yourself from rabies\u003c/a> by always getting medical attention after you come in contact with a bat, even if you’re not sure you’ve been bitten. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When caught early, rabies is 100% treatable via vaccination. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But something you might now know: Bats are also extremely susceptible to the rabies virus. So they’re not just carriers of rabies, but they can also die from it — the same way humans do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While rabies is an undoubted source of fear, “it’s something we can prevent,” Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Besides the risk of rabies, bats aren’t at all dangerous to humans. In fact, they aren’t really interested in us at all — so don’t let media portrayals of bloodsucking attackers fool you. Most of the fear surrounding bats, Quirk said, probably has more to do with fear of the dark spaces they’re found in, and of nocturnal animals that we generally struggle to understand. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Often, once we learn about something — and especially if we see it — we’re much less afraid,” Quirk said. “And the more we learn, the more we can appreciate the environment around us, and maybe keep these animals safe, and keep ourselves safe too.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"where-to-meet-bat-ambassadors-this-fall\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where to meet bat ambassadors this fall\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quirk has a very full schedule of bat-related events, many of which are open to the public. \u003ca href=\"https://norcalbats.org/calendar/\">You can find a full list at norcalbats.org. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A wildlife biologist checking the wings of a Big Brown Bat for signs of White-nose Syndrome. (JasonOndreicka via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her most consistent events are held in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092538/under-a-sacramento-bridge-californias-largest-urban-bat-colony-takes-flight-every-night\">Davis at the Yolo Basin Foundation\u003c/a>, the environmental education nonprofit where she works as a program coordinator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, Quirk and her ambassador bats can be found at a number of community events in local libraries, at local schools or featured in festivals. Her annual appearance with the bats at the \u003ca href=\"https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/event/bay-area-bats-2/\">UC Berkeley Botanical Garden\u003c/a> on Thursday was sold out.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With the permission of our facilities team, Quirk brought in three rescued bats, all of different species — the Mexican free-tailed bat, the big brown bat and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1915923/these-whispering-walking-bats-are-onto-something\">pallid bat\u003c/a>, which is California’s state bat. These bats are all native to the area. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We do see them often in San Francisco,” Quirk said. “They’ll be between some of the buildings that are near each other with a 1-inch gap — or they’ll be sometimes behind some of the business signs.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As for why these bats are so commonly found squeezed into tight spaces, “historically they would have been in cave and rock outcroppings and dead trees,” Quirk said. “But those aren’t so much around here, so they’ve adapted.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As for why these bats are so commonly found squeezed into tight spaces, “historically they would have been in cave and rock outcroppings and dead trees,” Quirk said. “But those aren’t so much around here, so they’ve adapted.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest mammal on Earth, Quirk said, able to fly just under 100 miles an hour. And the little critters don’t zoom alone: Here, bat colony sizes can be in the thousands — sometimes the hundreds of thousands. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest mammal on Earth, Quirk said, able to fly just under 100 miles an hour. And the little critters don’t zoom alone: Here, bat colony sizes can be in the thousands — sometimes the hundreds of thousands. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Further south, in some of the caves of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, “the species is in the millions,” she said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The “am-bat-ssadors” she brought in don’t have names, Quirk said, because they aren’t pets. But they are pretty cute.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The “am-bat-ssadors” she brought in don’t have names, Quirk said, because they aren’t pets. But they are pretty cute.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One bat in particular was found on the ground with a broken wing and can no longer fly — after what Quirk suspects was a tussle with a local cat. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And while she’s now recovered and healthy, this bat won’t ever return to the wild, Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Skin heals, broken bones are harder to fix,” Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There are no fruit bats in the Bay Area, so our region’s bats mostly eat insects. And their role in the local ecosystem can be critical. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I call them the farmer’s best friend because they’re eating a tremendous amount of moth — and moth larva can be a pretty significant crop pest,” Quirk said. “So these guys are helping us by reducing insecticide use and helping the farmers by reducing crop loss.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I call them the farmer’s best friend because they’re eating a tremendous amount of moth — and moth larva can be a pretty significant crop pest,” Quirk said. “So these guys are helping us by reducing insecticide use and helping the farmers by reducing crop loss.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/echolocation.htm\">Echolocation\u003c/a> is a bat’s main way of hunting insects. The noises they make are outside of a human’s range of hearing, but Quirk brought a device that picks up the rapid pinging so we could hear it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/echolocation.htm\">Echolocation\u003c/a> is a bat’s main way of hunting insects. The noises they make are outside of a human’s range of hearing, but Quirk brought a device that picks up the rapid pinging so we could hear it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In a still from our video, Corky Quirk demonstrates how she picks up the sounds of bats.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Vivian Morales/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107550\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In a still from our video, Corky Quirk demonstrates how she picks up the sounds of bats.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Vivian Morales/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“And then right before they decide if they wanna eat it or not, those pulses are very rapid,” Quirk said. “We call that the feeding buzz.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bat populations are actually in decline, in part due to habitat loss. There’s also the problem of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-white-nose-syndrome.htm\">white-nose syndrome\u003c/a>, a deadly fungus which causes bats to wake up too often during hibernation. This condition has killed millions of bats in the United States in just a decade, Quirk said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bat populations are actually in decline, in part due to habitat loss. There’s also the problem of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-white-nose-syndrome.htm\">white-nose syndrome\u003c/a>, a deadly fungus which causes bats to wake up too often during hibernation. This condition has killed millions of bats in the United States in just a decade, Quirk said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“They burn up all their calories, and they starve in the winter,” she said. “It’s a huge concern.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bats are the number one reservoir of rabies, which is virtually always \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">fatal\u003c/a> to humans — only a very small number of people worldwide have ever survived symptomatic rabies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bats are the number one reservoir of rabies, which is virtually always \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">fatal\u003c/a> to humans — only a very small number of people worldwide have ever survived symptomatic rabies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So, it’s super important to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">protect yourself from rabies\u003c/a> by always getting medical attention after you come in contact with a bat, even if you’re not sure you’ve been bitten. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>So, it’s super important to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">protect yourself from rabies\u003c/a> by always getting medical attention after you come in contact with a bat, even if you’re not sure you’ve been bitten. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But something you might now know: Bats are also extremely susceptible to the rabies virus. So they’re not just carriers of rabies, but they can also die from it — the same way humans do. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But something you might now know: Bats are also extremely susceptible to the rabies virus. So they’re not just carriers of rabies, but they can also die from it — the same way humans do. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While rabies is an undoubted source of fear, “it’s something we can prevent,” Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Besides the risk of rabies, bats aren’t at all dangerous to humans. In fact, they aren’t really interested in us at all — so don’t let media portrayals of bloodsucking attackers fool you. Most of the fear surrounding bats, Quirk said, probably has more to do with fear of the dark spaces they’re found in, and of nocturnal animals that we generally struggle to understand. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Besides the risk of rabies, bats aren’t at all dangerous to humans. In fact, they aren’t really interested in us at all — so don’t let media portrayals of bloodsucking attackers fool you. Most of the fear surrounding bats, Quirk said, probably has more to do with fear of the dark spaces they’re found in, and of nocturnal animals that we generally struggle to understand. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Often, once we learn about something — and especially if we see it — we’re much less afraid,” Quirk said. “And the more we learn, the more we can appreciate the environment around us, and maybe keep these animals safe, and keep ourselves safe too.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Often, once we learn about something — and especially if we see it — we’re much less afraid,” Quirk said. “And the more we learn, the more we can appreciate the environment around us, and maybe keep these animals safe, and keep ourselves safe too.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Quirk has a very full schedule of bat-related events, many of which are open to the public. \u003ca href=\"https://norcalbats.org/calendar/\">You can find a full list at norcalbats.org. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Quirk has a very full schedule of bat-related events, many of which are open to the public. \u003ca href=\"https://norcalbats.org/calendar/\">You can find a full list at norcalbats.org. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Otherwise, Quirk and her ambassador bats can be found at a number of community events in local libraries, at local schools or featured in festivals. Her annual appearance with the bats at the \u003ca href=\"https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/event/bay-area-bats-2/\">UC Berkeley Botanical Garden\u003c/a> on Thursday was sold out.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Did you know the fastest living mammal on Earth might be flying over your Bay Area backyard? ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s Halloween: The leaves are changing, the clocks are about to fall back on Sunday, and the Bay Area’s spooky, night-loving animals are in the spotlight. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No — not raccoons or owls. \u003cem>Bats\u003c/em>, the tiny, flitting mammals that are so numerous they represent around one-fifth of all living mammals on Earth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In San Francisco alone, we have six species of bats. And there are \u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/article/bats-bay-area-why-they-matter-and-what-we-can-do-them\">16 species all across the Bay Area\u003c/a>, according to Corky Quirk, founder of NorCal Bats, an organization dedicated to bat rescue and education.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fact, here in the Bay Area, bats are kind of … everywhere. Quirk brought her “bat ambassadors” (also known as “am-bat-ssadors”) into the KQED studios to tell us more.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#where-to-meet-bat-ambassadors-this-fall\">Where to meet bat ambassadors up-close in the Bay Area this fall\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Why are there so many bats in the Bay Area?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the permission of our facilities team, Quirk brought in three rescued bats, all of different species — the Mexican free-tailed bat, the big brown bat and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1915923/these-whispering-walking-bats-are-onto-something\">pallid bat\u003c/a>, which is California’s state bat. These bats are all native to the area. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We do see them often in San Francisco,” Quirk said. “They’ll be between some of the buildings that are near each other with a 1-inch gap — or they’ll be sometimes behind some of the business signs.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As for why these bats are so commonly found squeezed into tight spaces, “historically they would have been in cave and rock outcroppings and dead trees,” Quirk said. “But those aren’t so much around here, so they’ve adapted.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest mammal on Earth, Quirk said, able to fly just under 100 miles an hour. And the little critters don’t zoom alone: Here, bat colony sizes can be in the thousands — sometimes the hundreds of thousands. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further south, in some of the caves of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico, “the species is in the millions,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The “am-bat-ssadors” she brought in don’t have names, Quirk said, because they aren’t pets. But they are pretty cute.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One bat in particular was found on the ground with a broken wing and can no longer fly — after what Quirk suspects was a tussle with a local cat. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And while she’s now recovered and healthy, this bat won’t ever return to the wild, Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Skin heals, broken bones are harder to fix,” Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/l2py029bwhA'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/l2py029bwhA'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do bats contribute to our ecosystem?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are no fruit bats in the Bay Area, so our region’s bats mostly eat insects. And their role in the local ecosystem can be critical. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I call them the farmer’s best friend because they’re eating a tremendous amount of moth — and moth larva can be a pretty significant crop pest,” Quirk said. “So these guys are helping us by reducing insecticide use and helping the farmers by reducing crop loss.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/echolocation.htm\">Echolocation\u003c/a> is a bat’s main way of hunting insects. The noises they make are outside of a human’s range of hearing, but Quirk brought a device that picks up the rapid pinging so we could hear it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107550\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/IMG_3390.MOV.00_01_16_00.Still001-15e44232-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In a still from our video, Corky Quirk demonstrates how she picks up the sounds of bats. (Vivian Morales/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“And then right before they decide if they wanna eat it or not, those pulses are very rapid,” Quirk said. “We call that the feeding buzz.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bat populations are actually in decline, in part due to habitat loss. There’s also the problem of \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/articles/what-is-white-nose-syndrome.htm\">white-nose syndrome\u003c/a>, a deadly fungus which causes bats to wake up too often during hibernation. This condition has killed millions of bats in the United States in just a decade, Quirk said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“They burn up all their calories, and they starve in the winter,” she said. “It’s a huge concern.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aren’t bats dangerous?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bats are the number one reservoir of rabies, which is virtually always \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">fatal\u003c/a> to humans — only a very small number of people worldwide have ever survived symptomatic rabies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, it’s super important to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12098617/yes-bay-area-bats-have-rabies-how-real-are-your-risks\">protect yourself from rabies\u003c/a> by always getting medical attention after you come in contact with a bat, even if you’re not sure you’ve been bitten. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When caught early, rabies is 100% treatable via vaccination. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But something you might now know: Bats are also extremely susceptible to the rabies virus. So they’re not just carriers of rabies, but they can also die from it — the same way humans do. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While rabies is an undoubted source of fear, “it’s something we can prevent,” Quirk said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Besides the risk of rabies, bats aren’t at all dangerous to humans. In fact, they aren’t really interested in us at all — so don’t let media portrayals of bloodsucking attackers fool you. Most of the fear surrounding bats, Quirk said, probably has more to do with fear of the dark spaces they’re found in, and of nocturnal animals that we generally struggle to understand. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Often, once we learn about something — and especially if we see it — we’re much less afraid,” Quirk said. “And the more we learn, the more we can appreciate the environment around us, and maybe keep these animals safe, and keep ourselves safe too.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"where-to-meet-bat-ambassadors-this-fall\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where to meet bat ambassadors this fall\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Quirk has a very full schedule of bat-related events, many of which are open to the public. \u003ca href=\"https://norcalbats.org/calendar/\">You can find a full list at norcalbats.org. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107542\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/GettyImages-908089172-e6462186-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A wildlife biologist checking the wings of a Big Brown Bat for signs of White-nose Syndrome. (JasonOndreicka via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her most consistent events are held in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12092538/under-a-sacramento-bridge-californias-largest-urban-bat-colony-takes-flight-every-night\">Davis at the Yolo Basin Foundation\u003c/a>, the environmental education nonprofit where she works as a program coordinator.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Otherwise, Quirk and her ambassador bats can be found at a number of community events in local libraries, at local schools or featured in festivals. Her annual appearance with the bats at the \u003ca href=\"https://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/event/bay-area-bats-2/\">UC Berkeley Botanical Garden\u003c/a> on Thursday was sold out.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-lawmakers-and-drivers-pressure-regulators-to-reign-in-autonomous-vehicles",
"title": "California Lawmakers and Drivers Pressure Regulators to Reign In Autonomous Vehicles",
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"headTitle": "California Lawmakers and Drivers Pressure Regulators to Reign In Autonomous Vehicles | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Labor leaders and officials across the state said they’ll continue to pressure the California Public Utilities Commission to put meaningful guardrails on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/autonomous-vehicles\">autonomous vehicles\u003c/a>, namely in the form of giving local governments more say when robotaxis are deployed in their cities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chanting slogans like “Our streets! Our safety! Our say,” Uber and Lyft drivers and public sector employees rallied outside the CPUC’s meeting on Thursday in San Francisco, as driverless Waymo cars made their way around them on Van Ness Avenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state regulator is in the \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M624/K128/624128822.PDF\">process\u003c/a> of adopting new rules for autonomous vehicles — including when companies can be exempt from those rules and when the approval process should be streamlined. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One such exemption granted to Amazon’s Zoox allows the company to operate “purpose-built” autonomous vehicles on the road that don’t have traditional vehicle equipment for human drivers, like steering wheels or pedals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064736\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Zoox autonomous vehicle drives through 16th Street and Potrero in San Francisco on July 22, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Agencies like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency or the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and unions representing drivers generally support that reinstating suspended AV permits be under the commission’s authority. Zoox, however, wants staff to have the authority to reinstate those suspended permits, even when the reason for suspension was “an unreasonable risk to the AV carriers’ passengers,” according to the proposed rules. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After previously allowing AV operators to expand unfettered, cities and labor leaders are intensifying scrutiny of the companies after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">vehicle meltdowns during major events\u003c/a> — like San Francisco’s July 4th traffic fiasco — and emergencies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Workers rallying at the CPUC on Thursday cited these \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074861/waymo-to-report-on-mass-stranding-event-during-sf-december-blackout\">robotaxi freezes during power outages\u003c/a> as a need for tighter regulations, instead of allowing companies to regulate themselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also criticized a proposal to allow AV companies to expand service onto highways, at airports and even new cities without input from local leaders and emergency personnel who are directly impacted by AVs, including when they malfunction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, of course, the threat of putting many drivers and others in the transportation industry out of jobs, workers said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joseph Augusto, a San Francisco-based ride-hail driver, said he’s had enough negative interactions with driverless cars that he doesn’t want any more of what he calls “surprise expansions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We think that it’s important that the local municipalities and local officials, first responders, are aware of what’s happening in their city,” Augusto said. “We want everyone to have a say that should have a say and make sure everything runs a little smoother than they have been.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vikkas Shanker has been driving for Lyft and Uber for the last 11 years in and around Fresno. In that time, he’s been able to understand the city and its streets “better than any robot” could, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I worry about a future where AVs are allowed to expand into my community in Fresno without input from the people who know our roads,” he said, adding that he wants the CPUC to mandate that AV companies give cities and counties advance notice before autonomous vehicles are allowed to deploy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waymo also came under fire last year after one of the company’s autonomous vehicles hit and killed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062777/san-francisco-supervisor-calls-for-robotaxi-reform-after-waymo-kills-neighborhood-cat\">a beloved bodega cat\u003c/a> in the Mission. In the wake of that incident, Supervisor Jackie Fielder called for legislation to let voters decide if they want AVs in their cities, but she told workers on Thursday that her colleagues “watered down the legislation, perhaps to appease their campaign benefactors.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I don’t know any other regulating body in the United States that allows for corporations to dictate their own regulations,” Fielder said at Thursday’s rally. “At a time when every level of government is already beholden to corporate spending in elections, we need regulators like the CPUC to maintain independence and rein in corporations like Waymo and Zoox.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who has also been critical of AVs in the city, rallied for more control at the local level.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090127\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood speaks during a rally for survivors of sexual assault and harassment at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on July 7, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Francisco’s streets belong to the people of San Francisco and not the corporations who operate on them,” he said. “When decisions are made about our streets, the people who live and work here deserve a seat at the table. That includes our workers, our drivers, our transit operators, our emergency responders, and every San Franciscan who depends on safe, accessible streets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raj Singh, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 and a bus operator with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, said bus drivers make split-second decisions every day to keep people safe, whether that be passengers, pedestrians or other drivers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Public safety cannot be an experiment conducted on our streets without accountability,” Singh said. “Let me be clear: we are not against technology. We welcome progress, but progress without accountability is not progress we should blindly accept.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the meeting, nearly three dozen people spoke against the CPUC’s proposal, claiming it doesn’t give local leaders enough authority over autonomous vehicles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera told the CPUC that airports should have their own review process. The CPUC’s current proposal would no longer require AV companies to get a separate approval notice before starting airport service, provided they have airport permission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This decision asks the public to trust autonomous vehicle companies to decide for themselves what the public needs to know and what is material to public safety. Airports deserve their own review,” he said. “Deployment at these sites should require an airport-specific safety review, reporting, and public disclosure of airport authorization. It should not hinge solely on an email notice sent to staff.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Andrew Angeles \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M621/K751/621751926.PDF\">wrote to the CPUC in September\u003c/a> that AV companies should have airport-specific plans that address the “unique passenger safety and security risks” and airports should be able to weigh in before AVs are allowed on their roadways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“With proper oversight by the Commission, California could become a model for the nation. We look forward to further development of sensible regulations that balance the drive for implementing new transportation technologies with the challenge of smart transportation planning and public safety.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The board ultimately decided to postpone their vote until their next voting meeting on Nov. 19. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That means we made them think about it,” Cindy Reyes, research staff at SEIU 1021, told the crowd outside of the meeting. “We made them pause on a decision that was going to be very problematic.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One such exemption granted to Amazon’s Zoox allows the company to operate “purpose-built” autonomous vehicles on the road that don’t have traditional vehicle equipment for human drivers, like steering wheels or pedals. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064736\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Zoox autonomous vehicle drives through 16th Street and Potrero in San Francisco on July 22, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Agencies like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency or the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and unions representing drivers generally support that reinstating suspended AV permits be under the commission’s authority. Zoox, however, wants staff to have the authority to reinstate those suspended permits, even when the reason for suspension was “an unreasonable risk to the AV carriers’ passengers,” according to the proposed rules. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Agencies like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency or the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and unions representing drivers generally support that reinstating suspended AV permits be under the commission’s authority. Zoox, however, wants staff to have the authority to reinstate those suspended permits, even when the reason for suspension was “an unreasonable risk to the AV carriers’ passengers,” according to the proposed rules. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After previously allowing AV operators to expand unfettered, cities and labor leaders are intensifying scrutiny of the companies after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">vehicle meltdowns during major events\u003c/a> — like San Francisco’s July 4th traffic fiasco — and emergencies. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After previously allowing AV operators to expand unfettered, cities and labor leaders are intensifying scrutiny of the companies after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">vehicle meltdowns during major events\u003c/a> — like San Francisco’s July 4th traffic fiasco — and emergencies. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Workers rallying at the CPUC on Thursday cited these \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074861/waymo-to-report-on-mass-stranding-event-during-sf-december-blackout\">robotaxi freezes during power outages\u003c/a> as a need for tighter regulations, instead of allowing companies to regulate themselves. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Workers rallying at the CPUC on Thursday cited these \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074861/waymo-to-report-on-mass-stranding-event-during-sf-december-blackout\">robotaxi freezes during power outages\u003c/a> as a need for tighter regulations, instead of allowing companies to regulate themselves. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>They also criticized a proposal to allow AV companies to expand service onto highways, at airports and even new cities without input from local leaders and emergency personnel who are directly impacted by AVs, including when they malfunction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>They also criticized a proposal to allow AV companies to expand service onto highways, at airports and even new cities without input from local leaders and emergency personnel who are directly impacted by AVs, including when they malfunction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Joseph Augusto, a San Francisco-based ride-hail driver, said he’s had enough negative interactions with driverless cars that he doesn’t want any more of what he calls “surprise expansions.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We think that it’s important that the local municipalities and local officials, first responders, are aware of what’s happening in their city,” Augusto said. “We want everyone to have a say that should have a say and make sure everything runs a little smoother than they have been.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Vikkas Shanker has been driving for Lyft and Uber for the last 11 years in and around Fresno. In that time, he’s been able to understand the city and its streets “better than any robot” could, he said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Vikkas Shanker has been driving for Lyft and Uber for the last 11 years in and around Fresno. In that time, he’s been able to understand the city and its streets “better than any robot” could, he said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I worry about a future where AVs are allowed to expand into my community in Fresno without input from the people who know our roads,” he said, adding that he wants the CPUC to mandate that AV companies give cities and counties advance notice before autonomous vehicles are allowed to deploy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I worry about a future where AVs are allowed to expand into my community in Fresno without input from the people who know our roads,” he said, adding that he wants the CPUC to mandate that AV companies give cities and counties advance notice before autonomous vehicles are allowed to deploy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Waymo also came under fire last year after one of the company’s autonomous vehicles hit and killed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062777/san-francisco-supervisor-calls-for-robotaxi-reform-after-waymo-kills-neighborhood-cat\">a beloved bodega cat\u003c/a> in the Mission. In the wake of that incident, Supervisor Jackie Fielder called for legislation to let voters decide if they want AVs in their cities, but she told workers on Thursday that her colleagues “watered down the legislation, perhaps to appease their campaign benefactors.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Waymo also came under fire last year after one of the company’s autonomous vehicles hit and killed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062777/san-francisco-supervisor-calls-for-robotaxi-reform-after-waymo-kills-neighborhood-cat\">a beloved bodega cat\u003c/a> in the Mission. In the wake of that incident, Supervisor Jackie Fielder called for legislation to let voters decide if they want AVs in their cities, but she told workers on Thursday that her colleagues “watered down the legislation, perhaps to appease their campaign benefactors.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t know any other regulating body in the United States that allows for corporations to dictate their own regulations,” Fielder said at Thursday’s rally. “At a time when every level of government is already beholden to corporate spending in elections, we need regulators like the CPUC to maintain independence and rein in corporations like Waymo and Zoox.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I don’t know any other regulating body in the United States that allows for corporations to dictate their own regulations,” Fielder said at Thursday’s rally. “At a time when every level of government is already beholden to corporate spending in elections, we need regulators like the CPUC to maintain independence and rein in corporations like Waymo and Zoox.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who has also been critical of AVs in the city, rallied for more control at the local level.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090127\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood speaks during a rally for survivors of sexual assault and harassment at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on July 7, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090127\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood speaks during a rally for survivors of sexual assault and harassment at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on July 7, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“San Francisco’s streets belong to the people of San Francisco and not the corporations who operate on them,” he said. “When decisions are made about our streets, the people who live and work here deserve a seat at the table. That includes our workers, our drivers, our transit operators, our emergency responders, and every San Franciscan who depends on safe, accessible streets.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“San Francisco’s streets belong to the people of San Francisco and not the corporations who operate on them,” he said. “When decisions are made about our streets, the people who live and work here deserve a seat at the table. That includes our workers, our drivers, our transit operators, our emergency responders, and every San Franciscan who depends on safe, accessible streets.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Raj Singh, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 and a bus operator with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, said bus drivers make split-second decisions every day to keep people safe, whether that be passengers, pedestrians or other drivers. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Raj Singh, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 and a bus operator with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, said bus drivers make split-second decisions every day to keep people safe, whether that be passengers, pedestrians or other drivers. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Public safety cannot be an experiment conducted on our streets without accountability,” Singh said. “Let me be clear: we are not against technology. We welcome progress, but progress without accountability is not progress we should blindly accept.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Public safety cannot be an experiment conducted on our streets without accountability,” Singh said. “Let me be clear: we are not against technology. We welcome progress, but progress without accountability is not progress we should blindly accept.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During the meeting, nearly three dozen people spoke against the CPUC’s proposal, claiming it doesn’t give local leaders enough authority over autonomous vehicles. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera told the CPUC that airports should have their own review process. The CPUC’s current proposal would no longer require AV companies to get a separate approval notice before starting airport service, provided they have airport permission.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This decision asks the public to trust autonomous vehicle companies to decide for themselves what the public needs to know and what is material to public safety. Airports deserve their own review,” he said. “Deployment at these sites should require an airport-specific safety review, reporting, and public disclosure of airport authorization. It should not hinge solely on an email notice sent to staff.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Andrew Angeles \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M621/K751/621751926.PDF\">wrote to the CPUC in September\u003c/a> that AV companies should have airport-specific plans that address the “unique passenger safety and security risks” and airports should be able to weigh in before AVs are allowed on their roadways.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Andrew Angeles \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M621/K751/621751926.PDF\">wrote to the CPUC in September\u003c/a> that AV companies should have airport-specific plans that address the “unique passenger safety and security risks” and airports should be able to weigh in before AVs are allowed on their roadways.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“With proper oversight by the Commission, California could become a model for the nation. We look forward to further development of sensible regulations that balance the drive for implementing new transportation technologies with the challenge of smart transportation planning and public safety.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The board ultimately decided to postpone their vote until their next voting meeting on Nov. 19. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“That means we made them think about it,” Cindy Reyes, research staff at SEIU 1021, told the crowd outside of the meeting. “We made them pause on a decision that was going to be very problematic.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“That means we made them think about it,” Cindy Reyes, research staff at SEIU 1021, told the crowd outside of the meeting. “We made them pause on a decision that was going to be very problematic.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Ride-hail workers and local officials called on the California Public Utilities Commission to put driverless car regulation in the hands of local leaders. ",
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"title": "California Lawmakers and Drivers Pressure Regulators to Reign In Autonomous Vehicles | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Labor leaders and officials across the state said they’ll continue to pressure the California Public Utilities Commission to put meaningful guardrails on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/autonomous-vehicles\">autonomous vehicles\u003c/a>, namely in the form of giving local governments more say when robotaxis are deployed in their cities. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chanting slogans like “Our streets! Our safety! Our say,” Uber and Lyft drivers and public sector employees rallied outside the CPUC’s meeting on Thursday in San Francisco, as driverless Waymo cars made their way around them on Van Ness Avenue. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state regulator is in the \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M624/K128/624128822.PDF\">process\u003c/a> of adopting new rules for autonomous vehicles — including when companies can be exempt from those rules and when the approval process should be streamlined. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One such exemption granted to Amazon’s Zoox allows the company to operate “purpose-built” autonomous vehicles on the road that don’t have traditional vehicle equipment for human drivers, like steering wheels or pedals. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12064736\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/11/250730-WAYMOFILE_00136_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A Zoox autonomous vehicle drives through 16th Street and Potrero in San Francisco on July 22, 2025. (Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Agencies like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency or the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and unions representing drivers generally support that reinstating suspended AV permits be under the commission’s authority. Zoox, however, wants staff to have the authority to reinstate those suspended permits, even when the reason for suspension was “an unreasonable risk to the AV carriers’ passengers,” according to the proposed rules. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After previously allowing AV operators to expand unfettered, cities and labor leaders are intensifying scrutiny of the companies after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089915/sf-supe-to-launch-inquiry-on-waymos-july-fourth-traffic-meltdown\">vehicle meltdowns during major events\u003c/a> — like San Francisco’s July 4th traffic fiasco — and emergencies. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Workers rallying at the CPUC on Thursday cited these \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12074861/waymo-to-report-on-mass-stranding-event-during-sf-december-blackout\">robotaxi freezes during power outages\u003c/a> as a need for tighter regulations, instead of allowing companies to regulate themselves. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They also criticized a proposal to allow AV companies to expand service onto highways, at airports and even new cities without input from local leaders and emergency personnel who are directly impacted by AVs, including when they malfunction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, of course, the threat of putting many drivers and others in the transportation industry out of jobs, workers said. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Joseph Augusto, a San Francisco-based ride-hail driver, said he’s had enough negative interactions with driverless cars that he doesn’t want any more of what he calls “surprise expansions.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We think that it’s important that the local municipalities and local officials, first responders, are aware of what’s happening in their city,” Augusto said. “We want everyone to have a say that should have a say and make sure everything runs a little smoother than they have been.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vikkas Shanker has been driving for Lyft and Uber for the last 11 years in and around Fresno. In that time, he’s been able to understand the city and its streets “better than any robot” could, he said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I worry about a future where AVs are allowed to expand into my community in Fresno without input from the people who know our roads,” he said, adding that he wants the CPUC to mandate that AV companies give cities and counties advance notice before autonomous vehicles are allowed to deploy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Waymo also came under fire last year after one of the company’s autonomous vehicles hit and killed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12062777/san-francisco-supervisor-calls-for-robotaxi-reform-after-waymo-kills-neighborhood-cat\">a beloved bodega cat\u003c/a> in the Mission. In the wake of that incident, Supervisor Jackie Fielder called for legislation to let voters decide if they want AVs in their cities, but she told workers on Thursday that her colleagues “watered down the legislation, perhaps to appease their campaign benefactors.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I don’t know any other regulating body in the United States that allows for corporations to dictate their own regulations,” Fielder said at Thursday’s rally. “At a time when every level of government is already beholden to corporate spending in elections, we need regulators like the CPUC to maintain independence and rein in corporations like Waymo and Zoox.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, who has also been critical of AVs in the city, rallied for more control at the local level.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12090127\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260707_SFRally_GC-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Supervisor Bilal Mahmood speaks during a rally for survivors of sexual assault and harassment at San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco on July 7, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“San Francisco’s streets belong to the people of San Francisco and not the corporations who operate on them,” he said. “When decisions are made about our streets, the people who live and work here deserve a seat at the table. That includes our workers, our drivers, our transit operators, our emergency responders, and every San Franciscan who depends on safe, accessible streets.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Raj Singh, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265 and a bus operator with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, said bus drivers make split-second decisions every day to keep people safe, whether that be passengers, pedestrians or other drivers. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Public safety cannot be an experiment conducted on our streets without accountability,” Singh said. “Let me be clear: we are not against technology. We welcome progress, but progress without accountability is not progress we should blindly accept.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the meeting, nearly three dozen people spoke against the CPUC’s proposal, claiming it doesn’t give local leaders enough authority over autonomous vehicles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera told the CPUC that airports should have their own review process. The CPUC’s current proposal would no longer require AV companies to get a separate approval notice before starting airport service, provided they have airport permission.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This decision asks the public to trust autonomous vehicle companies to decide for themselves what the public needs to know and what is material to public safety. Airports deserve their own review,” he said. “Deployment at these sites should require an airport-specific safety review, reporting, and public disclosure of airport authorization. It should not hinge solely on an email notice sent to staff.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">San Francisco Deputy City Attorney Andrew Angeles \u003ca href=\"https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M621/K751/621751926.PDF\">wrote to the CPUC in September\u003c/a> that AV companies should have airport-specific plans that address the “unique passenger safety and security risks” and airports should be able to weigh in before AVs are allowed on their roadways.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“With proper oversight by the Commission, California could become a model for the nation. We look forward to further development of sensible regulations that balance the drive for implementing new transportation technologies with the challenge of smart transportation planning and public safety.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The board ultimately decided to postpone their vote until their next voting meeting on Nov. 19. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“That means we made them think about it,” Cindy Reyes, research staff at SEIU 1021, told the crowd outside of the meeting. “We made them pause on a decision that was going to be very problematic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "will-california-take-a-federal-broadband-deal-consumer-advocates-say-would-gut-protections",
"title": "Gavin Newsom Has Till Monday To Make Key Wildfire Safety Decision",
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"headTitle": "Gavin Newsom Has Till Monday To Make Key Wildfire Safety Decision | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a world where \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021777/reporters-notebook\">all of California lives in wildfire country now\u003c/a>, Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a pivotal choice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2021, Congress \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12429\">set aside more than $42 billion\u003c/a> through the \u003ca href=\"https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/funding-programs/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program\">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program\u003c/a> to connect homes and businesses without good internet service. The sum was to be divided among the states, D.C. and the territories. But last November, the Trump administration’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) added a new provision, Condition 50, which stipulates that accepting the money requires states to agree not to enforce any state law or rule that “directly or indirectly” regulates broadband service or imposes net neutrality, open access or “utility-style” rules.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom faces a Monday deadline to decide whether California will accept its share of the funds. Critics say a signature from the governor could leave California unable to enforce a host of broadband consumer protections, including a ban on slowing firefighters’ data during emergencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. Newsom has until Monday to decide if the state will accept its share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program funding. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We don’t have any protections at the federal level anymore,” said Stanford Law professor Barbara van Schewick, who focuses \u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>on internet, communications and antitrust law. “Neither Congress nor the Federal Communications Commission are prepared to do anything to change that. And at the same time, the concentration among internet service providers has increased rapidly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">van Schewick is one of eight law professors who signed an \u003ca href=\"https://storage.ghost.io/c/d5/17/d517bf5e-0944-433c-a10e-1dfe572602c5/content/files/2026/10/Law-Professor-Letter-to-Governor-Newsom-and-President-Reynolds-BEAD-funding-Condition-50.pdf\">open letter\u003c/a> urging Newsom not to sign the Notice of Award for California’s $1.42 billion BEAD grant while Condition 50 remains attached. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntia.gov/funding-programs/internet-all/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program/progress-dashboard\">NTIA’s dashboard\u003c/a>, California is the last holdout.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Turning down the award could delay new internet service for about 270,000 homes and businesses, many in rural areas. But critics of Condition 50 like van Schewick want the state to sue before the deadline instead, arguing the federal government lacked authority to impose such restrictions on the funding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the letter, the professors argued that accepting the funds would put the award at risk every time California tried to enforce its broadband protections. The state currently has rules in place that mandate phone and internet companies keep 72 hours of backup power at their equipment in high fire-threat areas, so people can still call 911, get emergency alerts, and look up evacuation information when the power goes out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Even if California won every fight, each could take years to resolve,” the professors wrote. “Violations would harm Californians in the meantime, and some harms, such as those from throttling firefighters during a wildfire, cannot be undone. More likely, enforcers would back off, and providers would stop complying. At worst, courts would hold these protections unenforceable against some or most of California’s major ISPs until about 2040.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most dramatic example they cite: a 2019 state law passed to address situations like the one in 2018, when Verizon \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688157/verizon-throttled-firefighters-internet-access-at-outset-of-mendocino-blaze\">restricted data speeds to\u003c/a> Santa Clara County firefighters during the Mendocino Complex Fire and restored full service only after the department paid for a more expensive plan. As KQED previously reported, the data “throttling,” \u003ca href=\"https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/\">first reported\u003c/a> by the technology news site \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688570/firefighters-get-throttled-by-verizon-during-mendocino-fire\">Ars Technica\u003c/a>, forced Santa Clara County Fire Department firefighters to negotiate with Verizon for higher internet speeds while the unit’s command vehicle was serving as a communications hub for incident commanders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Verizon later blamed the issue on a “mistake” in communicating with the fire department and said full-speed access should have been restored because the agency was responding to an emergency. The county later said it believed the slowdown was connected to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101866848/did-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-impede-firefighting-efforts\">repeal of federal net neutrality laws\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The California Public Utilities Commission, van Schewick said, has been a national leader in using its own authority over broadband to protect Californians. “And that has been particularly important because the federal government has left the field,” she said, adding, “There is no cop on the beat at the federal level that can intervene if Comcast, AT&T, or Verizon block access to websites or self-hustlings to others.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anthony Martinez, a deputy communications director for Newsom, said Friday the office would follow up when it had anything to add. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AT&T, Comcast and Verizon did not respond to requests for comment from KQED in time for publication.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s a bad deal. And this is a deliberate effort on the part of the Trump administration to tie our hands. And out of all states in this country, California has the most to lose,” said Regina Costa, who directs telecom policy for TURN, The Utility Reform Network. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps counterintuitively, opposition to Condition 50 has come from rural California as well, despite the possibility that Newsom declining the award could delay the expansion of broadband access. The state Democratic Party’s Rural Caucus and leaders of 10 \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/firewise-communities\">Firewise\u003c/a> communities along the lower Russian River, near where Costa lives, have urged Newsom not to sign, telling the governor in an Oct. 21 letter that their communications infrastructure is “already sketchy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We are over a 10th of the population,” Costa said of California. “We have one of the largest economies of any nation-state in the world, let alone a U.S. State. We have charted our own course on many, many important things, and telecommunications is one of those areas, and we should not just sign that away,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2021, Congress \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12429\">set aside more than $42 billion\u003c/a> through the \u003ca href=\"https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/funding-programs/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program\">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program\u003c/a> to connect homes and businesses without good internet service. The sum was to be divided among the states, D.C. and the territories. But last November, the Trump administration’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) added a new provision, Condition 50, which stipulates that accepting the money requires states to agree not to enforce any state law or rule that “directly or indirectly” regulates broadband service or imposes net neutrality, open access or “utility-style” rules.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 2021, Congress \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12429\">set aside more than $42 billion\u003c/a> through the \u003ca href=\"https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/funding-programs/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program\">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program\u003c/a> to connect homes and businesses without good internet service. The sum was to be divided among the states, D.C. and the territories. But last November, the Trump administration’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) added a new provision, Condition 50, which stipulates that accepting the money requires states to agree not to enforce any state law or rule that “directly or indirectly” regulates broadband service or imposes net neutrality, open access or “utility-style” rules.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Newsom faces a Monday deadline to decide whether California will accept its share of the funds. Critics say a signature from the governor could leave California unable to enforce a host of broadband consumer protections, including a ban on slowing firefighters’ data during emergencies.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. Newsom has until Monday to decide if the state will accept its share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program funding.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We don’t have any protections at the federal level anymore,” said Stanford Law professor Barbara van Schewick, who focuses \u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>on internet, communications and antitrust law. “Neither Congress nor the Federal Communications Commission are prepared to do anything to change that. And at the same time, the concentration among internet service providers has increased rapidly.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>van Schewick is one of eight law professors who signed an \u003ca href=\"https://storage.ghost.io/c/d5/17/d517bf5e-0944-433c-a10e-1dfe572602c5/content/files/2026/10/Law-Professor-Letter-to-Governor-Newsom-and-President-Reynolds-BEAD-funding-Condition-50.pdf\">open letter\u003c/a> urging Newsom not to sign the Notice of Award for California’s $1.42 billion BEAD grant while Condition 50 remains attached. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntia.gov/funding-programs/internet-all/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program/progress-dashboard\">NTIA’s dashboard\u003c/a>, California is the last holdout.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>van Schewick is one of eight law professors who signed an \u003ca href=\"https://storage.ghost.io/c/d5/17/d517bf5e-0944-433c-a10e-1dfe572602c5/content/files/2026/10/Law-Professor-Letter-to-Governor-Newsom-and-President-Reynolds-BEAD-funding-Condition-50.pdf\">open letter\u003c/a> urging Newsom not to sign the Notice of Award for California’s $1.42 billion BEAD grant while Condition 50 remains attached. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntia.gov/funding-programs/internet-all/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program/progress-dashboard\">NTIA’s dashboard\u003c/a>, California is the last holdout.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Turning down the award could delay new internet service for about 270,000 homes and businesses, many in rural areas. But critics of Condition 50 like van Schewick want the state to sue before the deadline instead, arguing the federal government lacked authority to impose such restrictions on the funding. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Turning down the award could delay new internet service for about 270,000 homes and businesses, many in rural areas. But critics of Condition 50 like van Schewick want the state to sue before the deadline instead, arguing the federal government lacked authority to impose such restrictions on the funding. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the letter, the professors argued that accepting the funds would put the award at risk every time California tried to enforce its broadband protections. The state currently has rules in place that mandate phone and internet companies keep 72 hours of backup power at their equipment in high fire-threat areas, so people can still call 911, get emergency alerts, and look up evacuation information when the power goes out. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the letter, the professors argued that accepting the funds would put the award at risk every time California tried to enforce its broadband protections. The state currently has rules in place that mandate phone and internet companies keep 72 hours of backup power at their equipment in high fire-threat areas, so people can still call 911, get emergency alerts, and look up evacuation information when the power goes out. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even if California won every fight, each could take years to resolve,” the professors wrote. “Violations would harm Californians in the meantime, and some harms, such as those from throttling firefighters during a wildfire, cannot be undone. More likely, enforcers would back off, and providers would stop complying. At worst, courts would hold these protections unenforceable against some or most of California’s major ISPs until about 2040.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The most dramatic example they cite: a 2019 state law passed to address situations like the one in 2018, when Verizon \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688157/verizon-throttled-firefighters-internet-access-at-outset-of-mendocino-blaze\">restricted data speeds to\u003c/a> Santa Clara County firefighters during the Mendocino Complex Fire and restored full service only after the department paid for a more expensive plan. As KQED previously reported, the data “throttling,” \u003ca href=\"https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/\">first reported\u003c/a> by the technology news site \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688570/firefighters-get-throttled-by-verizon-during-mendocino-fire\">Ars Technica\u003c/a>, forced Santa Clara County Fire Department firefighters to negotiate with Verizon for higher internet speeds while the unit’s command vehicle was serving as a communications hub for incident commanders. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The most dramatic example they cite: a 2019 state law passed to address situations like the one in 2018, when Verizon \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688157/verizon-throttled-firefighters-internet-access-at-outset-of-mendocino-blaze\">restricted data speeds to\u003c/a> Santa Clara County firefighters during the Mendocino Complex Fire and restored full service only after the department paid for a more expensive plan. As KQED previously reported, the data “throttling,” \u003ca href=\"https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/\">first reported\u003c/a> by the technology news site \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688570/firefighters-get-throttled-by-verizon-during-mendocino-fire\">Ars Technica\u003c/a>, forced Santa Clara County Fire Department firefighters to negotiate with Verizon for higher internet speeds while the unit’s command vehicle was serving as a communications hub for incident commanders. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Verizon later blamed the issue on a “mistake” in communicating with the fire department and said full-speed access should have been restored because the agency was responding to an emergency. The county later said it believed the slowdown was connected to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101866848/did-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-impede-firefighting-efforts\">repeal of federal net neutrality laws\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Verizon later blamed the issue on a “mistake” in communicating with the fire department and said full-speed access should have been restored because the agency was responding to an emergency. The county later said it believed the slowdown was connected to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101866848/did-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-impede-firefighting-efforts\">repeal of federal net neutrality laws\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Public Utilities Commission, van Schewick said, has been a national leader in using its own authority over broadband to protect Californians. “And that has been particularly important because the federal government has left the field,” she said, adding, “There is no cop on the beat at the federal level that can intervene if Comcast, AT&T, or Verizon block access to websites or self-hustlings to others.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The California Public Utilities Commission, van Schewick said, has been a national leader in using its own authority over broadband to protect Californians. “And that has been particularly important because the federal government has left the field,” she said, adding, “There is no cop on the beat at the federal level that can intervene if Comcast, AT&T, or Verizon block access to websites or self-hustlings to others.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Anthony Martinez, a deputy communications director for Newsom, said Friday the office would follow up when it had anything to add. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>AT&T, Comcast and Verizon did not respond to requests for comment from KQED in time for publication.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It’s a bad deal. And this is a deliberate effort on the part of the Trump administration to tie our hands. And out of all states in this country, California has the most to lose,” said Regina Costa, who directs telecom policy for TURN, The Utility Reform Network. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It’s a bad deal. And this is a deliberate effort on the part of the Trump administration to tie our hands. And out of all states in this country, California has the most to lose,” said Regina Costa, who directs telecom policy for TURN, The Utility Reform Network. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perhaps counterintuitively, opposition to Condition 50 has come from rural California as well, despite the possibility that Newsom declining the award could delay the expansion of broadband access. The state Democratic Party’s Rural Caucus and leaders of 10 \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/firewise-communities\">Firewise\u003c/a> communities along the lower Russian River, near where Costa lives, have urged Newsom not to sign, telling the governor in an Oct. 21 letter that their communications infrastructure is “already sketchy.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We are over a 10th of the population,” Costa said of California. “We have one of the largest economies of any nation-state in the world, let alone a U.S. State. We have charted our own course on many, many important things, and telecommunications is one of those areas, and we should not just sign that away,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Gov. Gavin Newsom has until this Monday to decide whether California accepts $1.42 billion in federal broadband money that comes tied to a provision that would bar the state from enforcing many of its own consumer protection rules for about 14 years.",
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"title": "Gavin Newsom Has Till Monday To Make Key Wildfire Safety Decision | KQED",
"description": "Gov. Gavin Newsom has until this Monday to decide whether California accepts $1.42 billion in federal broadband money that comes tied to a provision that would bar the state from enforcing many of its own consumer protection rules for about 14 years.",
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"headline": "Gavin Newsom Has Till Monday To Make Key Wildfire Safety Decision",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a world where \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12021777/reporters-notebook\">all of California lives in wildfire country now\u003c/a>, Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a pivotal choice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2021, Congress \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12429\">set aside more than $42 billion\u003c/a> through the \u003ca href=\"https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/funding-programs/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program\">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program\u003c/a> to connect homes and businesses without good internet service. The sum was to be divided among the states, D.C. and the territories. But last November, the Trump administration’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) added a new provision, Condition 50, which stipulates that accepting the money requires states to agree not to enforce any state law or rule that “directly or indirectly” regulates broadband service or imposes net neutrality, open access or “utility-style” rules.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Newsom faces a Monday deadline to decide whether California will accept its share of the funds. Critics say a signature from the governor could leave California unable to enforce a host of broadband consumer protections, including a ban on slowing firefighters’ data during emergencies.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12106175\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261023-PROP50VICTORYLAP-33-BL-KQED-7273678d-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at a rally alongside California Democratic Party members, labor leaders and advocates in San Francisco on Oct. 23, 2026. Newsom has until Monday to decide if the state will accept its share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program funding. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We don’t have any protections at the federal level anymore,” said Stanford Law professor Barbara van Schewick, who focuses \u003cstrong>\u003c/strong>on internet, communications and antitrust law. “Neither Congress nor the Federal Communications Commission are prepared to do anything to change that. And at the same time, the concentration among internet service providers has increased rapidly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">van Schewick is one of eight law professors who signed an \u003ca href=\"https://storage.ghost.io/c/d5/17/d517bf5e-0944-433c-a10e-1dfe572602c5/content/files/2026/10/Law-Professor-Letter-to-Governor-Newsom-and-President-Reynolds-BEAD-funding-Condition-50.pdf\">open letter\u003c/a> urging Newsom not to sign the Notice of Award for California’s $1.42 billion BEAD grant while Condition 50 remains attached. According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ntia.gov/funding-programs/internet-all/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program/progress-dashboard\">NTIA’s dashboard\u003c/a>, California is the last holdout.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Turning down the award could delay new internet service for about 270,000 homes and businesses, many in rural areas. But critics of Condition 50 like van Schewick want the state to sue before the deadline instead, arguing the federal government lacked authority to impose such restrictions on the funding. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the letter, the professors argued that accepting the funds would put the award at risk every time California tried to enforce its broadband protections. The state currently has rules in place that mandate phone and internet companies keep 72 hours of backup power at their equipment in high fire-threat areas, so people can still call 911, get emergency alerts, and look up evacuation information when the power goes out. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Even if California won every fight, each could take years to resolve,” the professors wrote. “Violations would harm Californians in the meantime, and some harms, such as those from throttling firefighters during a wildfire, cannot be undone. More likely, enforcers would back off, and providers would stop complying. At worst, courts would hold these protections unenforceable against some or most of California’s major ISPs until about 2040.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most dramatic example they cite: a 2019 state law passed to address situations like the one in 2018, when Verizon \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688157/verizon-throttled-firefighters-internet-access-at-outset-of-mendocino-blaze\">restricted data speeds to\u003c/a> Santa Clara County firefighters during the Mendocino Complex Fire and restored full service only after the department paid for a more expensive plan. As KQED previously reported, the data “throttling,” \u003ca href=\"https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/\">first reported\u003c/a> by the technology news site \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11688570/firefighters-get-throttled-by-verizon-during-mendocino-fire\">Ars Technica\u003c/a>, forced Santa Clara County Fire Department firefighters to negotiate with Verizon for higher internet speeds while the unit’s command vehicle was serving as a communications hub for incident commanders. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Verizon later blamed the issue on a “mistake” in communicating with the fire department and said full-speed access should have been restored because the agency was responding to an emergency. The county later said it believed the slowdown was connected to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101866848/did-the-repeal-of-net-neutrality-impede-firefighting-efforts\">repeal of federal net neutrality laws\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The California Public Utilities Commission, van Schewick said, has been a national leader in using its own authority over broadband to protect Californians. “And that has been particularly important because the federal government has left the field,” she said, adding, “There is no cop on the beat at the federal level that can intervene if Comcast, AT&T, or Verizon block access to websites or self-hustlings to others.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anthony Martinez, a deputy communications director for Newsom, said Friday the office would follow up when it had anything to add. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AT&T, Comcast and Verizon did not respond to requests for comment from KQED in time for publication.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It’s a bad deal. And this is a deliberate effort on the part of the Trump administration to tie our hands. And out of all states in this country, California has the most to lose,” said Regina Costa, who directs telecom policy for TURN, The Utility Reform Network. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perhaps counterintuitively, opposition to Condition 50 has come from rural California as well, despite the possibility that Newsom declining the award could delay the expansion of broadband access. The state Democratic Party’s Rural Caucus and leaders of 10 \u003ca href=\"https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/firewise-communities\">Firewise\u003c/a> communities along the lower Russian River, near where Costa lives, have urged Newsom not to sign, telling the governor in an Oct. 21 letter that their communications infrastructure is “already sketchy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“We are over a 10th of the population,” Costa said of California. “We have one of the largest economies of any nation-state in the world, let alone a U.S. State. We have charted our own course on many, many important things, and telecommunications is one of those areas, and we should not just sign that away,” she told KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "advocates-defend-noncitizen-voting-in-sf-school-board-races-as-trump-targets-voter-rolls",
"title": "Advocates Defend Noncitizen Voting in SF School Board Races, as Trump Targets Voter Rolls",
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"headTitle": "Advocates Defend Noncitizen Voting in SF School Board Races, as Trump Targets Voter Rolls | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the Trump administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">scrutiny\u003c/a> of California’s election system intensifies, advocates in San Francisco are calling for the city to stand by a program that allows \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11424662/trump-election-complicates-noncitizen-voting-in-s-f\">noncitizen parents\u003c/a> to vote in local school board elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, voters \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/results/20161108w/index.html\">approved\u003c/a> Measure N, granting noncitizen residents with a child in the San Francisco Unified School District the right to vote for members of the city’s Board of Education. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923048/a-fight-is-brewing-over-local-noncitizen-voting\">yearslong legal battle\u003c/a> between the city and a conservative nonprofit over the legality of the program soon followed. A state appeals court ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2023/a165899.html\">ruled\u003c/a> in 2022 that the city does, in fact, have the authority to include noncitizen parents in school board elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg\" alt=\"Voters seated at desks to vote.\" class=\"wp-image-11931540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters fill the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hundreds of noncitizen parents have \u003ca href=\"https://caasf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/23-CAA-ImmigrationVotingReport-F2-edit.pdf\">since\u003c/a> legally voted with special ballots that only include school board races. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902654/sf-school-board-recall-how-to-vote-as-a-noncitizen-parent\">2022 school board recall\u003c/a> saw the highest turnout, with 235 eligible noncitizens participating in an election that was decided by thousands of votes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same organizers who rallied for Measure N now worry that eligible noncitizen parents will skip Tuesday’s competitive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/school\">school board election\u003c/a> out of fear that they will also be targeted as part of the White House’s criminal investigation into noncitizen voting in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“People start to pull back from their rights because there’s fear that they’re going to get caught up in this dragnet,” said Annette Wong, managing director of programs at the civil rights group Chinese for Affirmative Action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who decides who votes in local elections?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106418/santa-clara-county-rejects-trump-administration-voter-probe\">sent letters\u003c/a> to all the county registrars in the state directing them to hold off counting thousands of ballots it alleges were sent to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In San Francisco, federal officials demanded the personal information of 441 individuals, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. City Attorney David Chiu refused the administration’s requests in a letter on Tuesday, stating that they “violate state and local law.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal judge also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">denied\u003c/a> on Wednesday a request from the Trump administration to order California election officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from all over the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s not clear if the list from the federal government correlates with San Francisco’s noncitizen voting program. However, independent legal experts agreed that the city has the legal authority to include noncitizen parents in local elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the U.S., for better or worse, elections are run at the state and local level,” said Matt Coles, professor at UC Law San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the 2022 case that settled the legal fight over Measure N, the court ruled that the California Constitution grants cities the power to expand voting rights for local offices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“No locality could let a noncitizen vote for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, for example,” Coles said, adding that Congress has made it a \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/611\">crime\u003c/a> for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, which includes voting in a presidential race.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To register for a school board election, eligible noncitizens must fill out a different form than the one used by citizen voters. And city officials told KQED — in 2022 and 2026 — that the information of noncitizen voters is kept in a local database separate from the statewide system that contains the personal details of citizen voters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city’s \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/tools/edu_portal/index.html\">noncitizen voter information portal\u003c/a>, however, makes an important caveat: the name and address of those who register can be accessed by other government agencies and political campaigns — just like citizen voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_permitting_noncitizens_to_vote_in_the_United_States\">dozen cities\u003c/a> across the country — most of them in Vermont and Maryland — allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. After San Francisco expanded the franchise, \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/10/04/dc-council-noncitizen-vote-elections/\">Washington, D.C.\u003c/a> followed suit in 2022. That same year, voters in Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012228/after-two-years-of-waiting-noncitizen-parents-still-cant-vote-in-oakland-school-board-elections\">approved\u003c/a> a similar program — which has not yet been implemented.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103669\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Having these pathbreaker jurisdictions like San Francisco also goes to show how you can administer elections in which noncitizens are not eligible to vote in federal elections — but are able to vote in local elections,” said Emily Rong Zhang, assistant professor at UC Berkeley School of Law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This also means that San Francisco has a responsibility to this group of voters, she added. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The city of San Francisco has a duty to ensure that all eligible voters in the upcoming election can cast their ballots without voter intimidation,” she said. “Regardless of whether they’re voting in federal elections or local elections.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What advocates are telling noncitizen parents\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This month, the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-charges-28-foreign-nationals-california-election-crimes\">announced\u003c/a> charges against 28 noncitizen Californians, all of them legal residents, for illegally voting or registering to vote. None have been convicted, but those accused represent just 0.0001% of registered voters in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, federal officials said this is part of their efforts to “combat and root out fraud in U.S. elections and protect electoral integrity.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wong from CAA disagreed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What we’re seeing here with these efforts is an intent to scare people out of voting,” she said, and added that this year, she’s talked to nervous parents who are unsure whether to vote in the upcoming school board election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“At this moment, we’re not encouraging people to register and vote no matter what. We’re also not discouraging people,” she said. “What we are saying is — if this is something that you want to do, come talk to us and we can help you navigate that process safely.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If someone is worried that voting in a school board election may impact the future of their immigration case, Wong recommended they also talk with an immigration attorney. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Even if you voted legally as a noncitizen, it’s still important to flag it,” she said, and pointed out that anyone can request their voting record from the Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This agency can also provide a verification letter that lists the criteria set up for noncitizens to vote in school board elections, and that also confirms they voted in a specific school board election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923048/a-fight-is-brewing-over-local-noncitizen-voting\">yearslong legal battle\u003c/a> between the city and a conservative nonprofit over the legality of the program soon followed. A state appeals court ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2023/a165899.html\">ruled\u003c/a> in 2022 that the city does, in fact, have the authority to include noncitizen parents in school board elections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923048/a-fight-is-brewing-over-local-noncitizen-voting\">yearslong legal battle\u003c/a> between the city and a conservative nonprofit over the legality of the program soon followed. A state appeals court ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2023/a165899.html\">ruled\u003c/a> in 2022 that the city does, in fact, have the authority to include noncitizen parents in school board elections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg\" alt=\"Voters seated at desks to vote.\" class=\"wp-image-11931540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters fill the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg\" alt=\"Voters seated at desks to vote.\" class=\"wp-image-11931540\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters fill the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Hundreds of noncitizen parents have \u003ca href=\"https://caasf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/23-CAA-ImmigrationVotingReport-F2-edit.pdf\">since\u003c/a> legally voted with special ballots that only include school board races. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902654/sf-school-board-recall-how-to-vote-as-a-noncitizen-parent\">2022 school board recall\u003c/a> saw the highest turnout, with 235 eligible noncitizens participating in an election that was decided by thousands of votes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Hundreds of noncitizen parents have \u003ca href=\"https://caasf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/23-CAA-ImmigrationVotingReport-F2-edit.pdf\">since\u003c/a> legally voted with special ballots that only include school board races. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902654/sf-school-board-recall-how-to-vote-as-a-noncitizen-parent\">2022 school board recall\u003c/a> saw the highest turnout, with 235 eligible noncitizens participating in an election that was decided by thousands of votes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The same organizers who rallied for Measure N now worry that eligible noncitizen parents will skip Tuesday’s competitive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/school\">school board election\u003c/a> out of fear that they will also be targeted as part of the White House’s criminal investigation into noncitizen voting in California.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The same organizers who rallied for Measure N now worry that eligible noncitizen parents will skip Tuesday’s competitive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/school\">school board election\u003c/a> out of fear that they will also be targeted as part of the White House’s criminal investigation into noncitizen voting in California.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“People start to pull back from their rights because there’s fear that they’re going to get caught up in this dragnet,” said Annette Wong, managing director of programs at the civil rights group Chinese for Affirmative Action.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“People start to pull back from their rights because there’s fear that they’re going to get caught up in this dragnet,” said Annette Wong, managing director of programs at the civil rights group Chinese for Affirmative Action.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Who decides who votes in local elections?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106418/santa-clara-county-rejects-trump-administration-voter-probe\">sent letters\u003c/a> to all the county registrars in the state directing them to hold off counting thousands of ballots it alleges were sent to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106418/santa-clara-county-rejects-trump-administration-voter-probe\">sent letters\u003c/a> to all the county registrars in the state directing them to hold off counting thousands of ballots it alleges were sent to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, federal officials demanded the personal information of 441 individuals, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. City Attorney David Chiu refused the administration’s requests in a letter on Tuesday, stating that they “violate state and local law.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, federal officials demanded the personal information of 441 individuals, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. City Attorney David Chiu refused the administration’s requests in a letter on Tuesday, stating that they “violate state and local law.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A federal judge also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">denied\u003c/a> on Wednesday a request from the Trump administration to order California election officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from all over the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A federal judge also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">denied\u003c/a> on Wednesday a request from the Trump administration to order California election officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from all over the state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s not clear if the list from the federal government correlates with San Francisco’s noncitizen voting program. However, independent legal experts agreed that the city has the legal authority to include noncitizen parents in local elections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s not clear if the list from the federal government correlates with San Francisco’s noncitizen voting program. However, independent legal experts agreed that the city has the legal authority to include noncitizen parents in local elections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“In the U.S., for better or worse, elections are run at the state and local level,” said Matt Coles, professor at UC Law San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“In the U.S., for better or worse, elections are run at the state and local level,” said Matt Coles, professor at UC Law San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the 2022 case that settled the legal fight over Measure N, the court ruled that the California Constitution grants cities the power to expand voting rights for local offices.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the 2022 case that settled the legal fight over Measure N, the court ruled that the California Constitution grants cities the power to expand voting rights for local offices.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“No locality could let a noncitizen vote for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, for example,” Coles said, adding that Congress has made it a \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/611\">crime\u003c/a> for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, which includes voting in a presidential race.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“No locality could let a noncitizen vote for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, for example,” Coles said, adding that Congress has made it a \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/611\">crime\u003c/a> for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, which includes voting in a presidential race.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To register for a school board election, eligible noncitizens must fill out a different form than the one used by citizen voters. And city officials told KQED — in 2022 and 2026 — that the information of noncitizen voters is kept in a local database separate from the statewide system that contains the personal details of citizen voters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To register for a school board election, eligible noncitizens must fill out a different form than the one used by citizen voters. And city officials told KQED — in 2022 and 2026 — that the information of noncitizen voters is kept in a local database separate from the statewide system that contains the personal details of citizen voters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The city’s \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/tools/edu_portal/index.html\">noncitizen voter information portal\u003c/a>, however, makes an important caveat: the name and address of those who register can be accessed by other government agencies and political campaigns — just like citizen voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The city’s \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/tools/edu_portal/index.html\">noncitizen voter information portal\u003c/a>, however, makes an important caveat: the name and address of those who register can be accessed by other government agencies and political campaigns — just like citizen voters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A few \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_permitting_noncitizens_to_vote_in_the_United_States\">dozen cities\u003c/a> across the country — most of them in Vermont and Maryland — allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. After San Francisco expanded the franchise, \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/10/04/dc-council-noncitizen-vote-elections/\">Washington, D.C.\u003c/a> followed suit in 2022. That same year, voters in Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012228/after-two-years-of-waiting-noncitizen-parents-still-cant-vote-in-oakland-school-board-elections\">approved\u003c/a> a similar program — which has not yet been implemented.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A few \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_permitting_noncitizens_to_vote_in_the_United_States\">dozen cities\u003c/a> across the country — most of them in Vermont and Maryland — allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. After San Francisco expanded the franchise, \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/10/04/dc-council-noncitizen-vote-elections/\">Washington, D.C.\u003c/a> followed suit in 2022. That same year, voters in Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012228/after-two-years-of-waiting-noncitizen-parents-still-cant-vote-in-oakland-school-board-elections\">approved\u003c/a> a similar program — which has not yet been implemented.\u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103669\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103669\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Having these pathbreaker jurisdictions like San Francisco also goes to show how you can administer elections in which noncitizens are not eligible to vote in federal elections — but are able to vote in local elections,” said Emily Rong Zhang, assistant professor at UC Berkeley School of Law.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Having these pathbreaker jurisdictions like San Francisco also goes to show how you can administer elections in which noncitizens are not eligible to vote in federal elections — but are able to vote in local elections,” said Emily Rong Zhang, assistant professor at UC Berkeley School of Law.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This also means that San Francisco has a responsibility to this group of voters, she added. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The city of San Francisco has a duty to ensure that all eligible voters in the upcoming election can cast their ballots without voter intimidation,” she said. “Regardless of whether they’re voting in federal elections or local elections.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The city of San Francisco has a duty to ensure that all eligible voters in the upcoming election can cast their ballots without voter intimidation,” she said. “Regardless of whether they’re voting in federal elections or local elections.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "What advocates are telling noncitizen parents",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What advocates are telling noncitizen parents\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This month, the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-charges-28-foreign-nationals-california-election-crimes\">announced\u003c/a> charges against 28 noncitizen Californians, all of them legal residents, for illegally voting or registering to vote. None have been convicted, but those accused represent just 0.0001% of registered voters in the state.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This month, the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-charges-28-foreign-nationals-california-election-crimes\">announced\u003c/a> charges against 28 noncitizen Californians, all of them legal residents, for illegally voting or registering to vote. None have been convicted, but those accused represent just 0.0001% of registered voters in the state.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, federal officials said this is part of their efforts to “combat and root out fraud in U.S. elections and protect electoral integrity.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, federal officials said this is part of their efforts to “combat and root out fraud in U.S. elections and protect electoral integrity.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wong from CAA disagreed.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we’re seeing here with these efforts is an intent to scare people out of voting,” she said, and added that this year, she’s talked to nervous parents who are unsure whether to vote in the upcoming school board election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“What we’re seeing here with these efforts is an intent to scare people out of voting,” she said, and added that this year, she’s talked to nervous parents who are unsure whether to vote in the upcoming school board election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“At this moment, we’re not encouraging people to register and vote no matter what. We’re also not discouraging people,” she said. “What we are saying is — if this is something that you want to do, come talk to us and we can help you navigate that process safely.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“At this moment, we’re not encouraging people to register and vote no matter what. We’re also not discouraging people,” she said. “What we are saying is — if this is something that you want to do, come talk to us and we can help you navigate that process safely.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If someone is worried that voting in a school board election may impact the future of their immigration case, Wong recommended they also talk with an immigration attorney. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If someone is worried that voting in a school board election may impact the future of their immigration case, Wong recommended they also talk with an immigration attorney. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Even if you voted legally as a noncitizen, it’s still important to flag it,” she said, and pointed out that anyone can request their voting record from the Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Even if you voted legally as a noncitizen, it’s still important to flag it,” she said, and pointed out that anyone can request their voting record from the Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This agency can also provide a verification letter that lists the criteria set up for noncitizens to vote in school board elections, and that also confirms they voted in a specific school board election.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This agency can also provide a verification letter that lists the criteria set up for noncitizens to vote in school board elections, and that also confirms they voted in a specific school board election.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Ten years ago, San Francisco granted noncitizen parents the right to vote in local school board elections. Advocates now worry eligible voters are being intimidated by the Trump administration.",
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"title": "Advocates Defend Noncitizen Voting in SF School Board Races, as Trump Targets Voter Rolls | KQED",
"description": "Ten years ago, San Francisco granted noncitizen parents the right to vote in local school board elections. Advocates now worry eligible voters are being intimidated by the Trump administration.",
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"headline": "Advocates Defend Noncitizen Voting in SF School Board Races, as Trump Targets Voter Rolls",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the Trump administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">scrutiny\u003c/a> of California’s election system intensifies, advocates in San Francisco are calling for the city to stand by a program that allows \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11424662/trump-election-complicates-noncitizen-voting-in-s-f\">noncitizen parents\u003c/a> to vote in local school board elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2016, voters \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/results/20161108w/index.html\">approved\u003c/a> Measure N, granting noncitizen residents with a child in the San Francisco Unified School District the right to vote for members of the city’s Board of Education. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11923048/a-fight-is-brewing-over-local-noncitizen-voting\">yearslong legal battle\u003c/a> between the city and a conservative nonprofit over the legality of the program soon followed. A state appeals court ultimately \u003ca href=\"https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2023/a165899.html\">ruled\u003c/a> in 2022 that the city does, in fact, have the authority to include noncitizen parents in school board elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg\" alt=\"Voters seated at desks to vote.\" class=\"wp-image-11931540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/012_KQED_CityHallSFVoting_11082022-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters fill the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hundreds of noncitizen parents have \u003ca href=\"https://caasf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/23-CAA-ImmigrationVotingReport-F2-edit.pdf\">since\u003c/a> legally voted with special ballots that only include school board races. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11902654/sf-school-board-recall-how-to-vote-as-a-noncitizen-parent\">2022 school board recall\u003c/a> saw the highest turnout, with 235 eligible noncitizens participating in an election that was decided by thousands of votes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same organizers who rallied for Measure N now worry that eligible noncitizen parents will skip Tuesday’s competitive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/sanfrancisco/school\">school board election\u003c/a> out of fear that they will also be targeted as part of the White House’s criminal investigation into noncitizen voting in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“People start to pull back from their rights because there’s fear that they’re going to get caught up in this dragnet,” said Annette Wong, managing director of programs at the civil rights group Chinese for Affirmative Action.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who decides who votes in local elections?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Justice \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106418/santa-clara-county-rejects-trump-administration-voter-probe\">sent letters\u003c/a> to all the county registrars in the state directing them to hold off counting thousands of ballots it alleges were sent to noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In San Francisco, federal officials demanded the personal information of 441 individuals, including Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. City Attorney David Chiu refused the administration’s requests in a letter on Tuesday, stating that they “violate state and local law.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal judge also \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">denied\u003c/a> on Wednesday a request from the Trump administration to order California election officials to set aside 20,000 ballots from all over the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s not clear if the list from the federal government correlates with San Francisco’s noncitizen voting program. However, independent legal experts agreed that the city has the legal authority to include noncitizen parents in local elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“In the U.S., for better or worse, elections are run at the state and local level,” said Matt Coles, professor at UC Law San Francisco. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the 2022 case that settled the legal fight over Measure N, the court ruled that the California Constitution grants cities the power to expand voting rights for local offices.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“No locality could let a noncitizen vote for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, for example,” Coles said, adding that Congress has made it a \u003ca href=\"https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/611\">crime\u003c/a> for noncitizens to vote in federal elections, which includes voting in a presidential race.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To register for a school board election, eligible noncitizens must fill out a different form than the one used by citizen voters. And city officials told KQED — in 2022 and 2026 — that the information of noncitizen voters is kept in a local database separate from the statewide system that contains the personal details of citizen voters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The city’s \u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.org/tools/edu_portal/index.html\">noncitizen voter information portal\u003c/a>, however, makes an important caveat: the name and address of those who register can be accessed by other government agencies and political campaigns — just like citizen voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few \u003ca href=\"https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_permitting_noncitizens_to_vote_in_the_United_States\">dozen cities\u003c/a> across the country — most of them in Vermont and Maryland — allow noncitizens to vote in local elections. After San Francisco expanded the franchise, \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/10/04/dc-council-noncitizen-vote-elections/\">Washington, D.C.\u003c/a> followed suit in 2022. That same year, voters in Oakland \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12012228/after-two-years-of-waiting-noncitizen-parents-still-cant-vote-in-oakland-school-board-elections\">approved\u003c/a> a similar program — which has not yet been implemented.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103669\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-14-BL-KQED-25395098-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Having these pathbreaker jurisdictions like San Francisco also goes to show how you can administer elections in which noncitizens are not eligible to vote in federal elections — but are able to vote in local elections,” said Emily Rong Zhang, assistant professor at UC Berkeley School of Law.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This also means that San Francisco has a responsibility to this group of voters, she added. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The city of San Francisco has a duty to ensure that all eligible voters in the upcoming election can cast their ballots without voter intimidation,” she said. “Regardless of whether they’re voting in federal elections or local elections.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What advocates are telling noncitizen parents\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This month, the Trump administration \u003ca href=\"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-charges-28-foreign-nationals-california-election-crimes\">announced\u003c/a> charges against 28 noncitizen Californians, all of them legal residents, for illegally voting or registering to vote. None have been convicted, but those accused represent just 0.0001% of registered voters in the state.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, federal officials said this is part of their efforts to “combat and root out fraud in U.S. elections and protect electoral integrity.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wong from CAA disagreed.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“What we’re seeing here with these efforts is an intent to scare people out of voting,” she said, and added that this year, she’s talked to nervous parents who are unsure whether to vote in the upcoming school board election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“At this moment, we’re not encouraging people to register and vote no matter what. We’re also not discouraging people,” she said. “What we are saying is — if this is something that you want to do, come talk to us and we can help you navigate that process safely.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If someone is worried that voting in a school board election may impact the future of their immigration case, Wong recommended they also talk with an immigration attorney. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Even if you voted legally as a noncitizen, it’s still important to flag it,” she said, and pointed out that anyone can request their voting record from the Department of Elections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This agency can also provide a verification letter that lists the criteria set up for noncitizens to vote in school board elections, and that also confirms they voted in a specific school board election.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>KQED’s\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/gmarzorati\">\u003cem>Guy Marzorati\u003c/em>\u003c/a> \u003cem>contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "doj-subpoenas-california-election-officials-despite-judges-order-to-stop-threatening-them",
"title": "DOJ Subpoenas California Election Officials, Despite Judge’s Order to Stop Threatening Them",
"publishDate": 1793387942,
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"headTitle": "DOJ Subpoenas California Election Officials, Despite Judge’s Order to Stop Threatening Them | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, a federal judge \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">issued a blistering order\u003c/a> warning federal prosecutors to stop threatening California election officials with crimes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A day later, federal prosecutors kept going. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At least four elections workers in California have received federal criminal grand jury subpoenas over the past week, with at least one delivered on Thursday after the court’s order.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In that subpoena, issued to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’s office, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security are seeking unredacted voter records for 60 people, according to records obtained by CalMatters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Colby Brown, rover supervisor at the Veterans Memorial Center voting center, seals a ballot drop box, in Davis on June 2, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The subpoenas signal an intensification of the federal government’s unprecedented targeting of California’s elections, setting up what could be a showdown over the fundamentals of American democracy around next Tuesday’s midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prosecutors include those in the office of Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, a leading aide in President Donald Trump’s push to find evidence to support longstanding — and never proven — claims that California elections are rigged in Democrats’ favor due to noncitizen votes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/doj-orders-criminal-probes-of-california-officials-over-ballots\">Bloomberg Law first reported\u003c/a> Thursday that U.S. Justice Department leaders had directed top federal prosecutors to pursue criminal subpoenas of state and local officials in their efforts to find evidence that noncitizens were allowed to vote. The news outlet cited two unnamed sources familiar with the situation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This month Essayli sued California and Los Angeles County, demanding they set aside the ballots of 20,000 registered voters he accused of not being U.S. citizens, and last week the Justice Department sent letters threatening local elections officials with criminal charges if they did not do the same with lists of voters in their own counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">County election officials from across California have said spot checks \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">found the government’s list of names to be inaccurate\u003c/a> and have challenged the legality of the requests. Officials in only one county so far – San Luis Obispo – have announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney/latest-news/2026/october/district-attorney-investigating-63-federally-identified-registrations-and-local-election-referrals\">they will investigate\u003c/a> the voters from the Justice Department’s demand letters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the subpoenas say \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Los Angeles County, federal prosecutors last week subpoenaed three employees of the Registrar-Recorder’s Office, ordering them to testify before a grand jury in a criminal investigation on Nov. 4, the day after the election. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prosecutors demanded county employees bring records of how their department prevents non-citizens from voting and “records relating to or involving evidence collected by your agency which tends to indicate an alien has voted in a federal election.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan said prosecutors were taking a “confrontational, adversarial approach.” He said the federal judge’s warning to stop making threats directed at election officials “was well placed and appreciated.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Threats and intimidation have no place in elections,” Logan said. “We will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and to remain focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Orange County, federal agents obtained the new grand jury subpoena last week but elections officials received it Thursday. It is similar to previous information demands from federal prosecutors. Elections officials had in September produced records on 20 registered voters in response to subpoenas. On Thursday, Registrar of Voters Bob Page told CalMatters three of those names appeared again in the new subpoena.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The federal government downplayed the subpoenas and suggested elections officials weren’t the targets of its investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Receiving a subpoena doesn’t mean you are a target,” Justice Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in an emailed statement. “In fact, generally, the DOJ doesn’t subpoena targets.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Judge says ‘these threats must stop’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his courtroom on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter made it clear that the federal government needed to stop \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">threatening election workers with criminal charges\u003c/a> if they didn’t comply with prosecutors’ demands. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This court believes it would be wise that any threats to state or county (election) employees cease immediately,” Carter told the courtroom. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He made the warning formal in his written ruling issued Wednesday evening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Never before in American history has the federal government, on the eve of an election, sought to coerce a state and local government to abandon their own Constitutional elections procedures and bend to the will of the Executive Branch,” Carter wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11977756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter fills out their ballot at a polling station at the American Legion in Shasta Lake, California, during a special election in Shasta County on Nov. 7, 2023. (Fred Greaves/CalMatters)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The court reiterates what it said yesterday: these threats must stop,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department has appealed Carter’s ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pels said prosecutors are merely doing what Carter told them to do: prosecute illegal voting if it’s found.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In expressing skepticism about the Trump administration’s claims, Carter told Essayli in court on Tuesday that if noncitizens really are voting in as large of numbers as the Trump administration claims, there’s nothing stopping federal prosecutors from finding them and charging them without the risk of blocking legal voters from having their ballots counted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, federal prosecutors across California charged 28 people with registering to vote despite not being citizens. Not all of those people had voted in past elections; those charged amount to 0.0001% of the state’s 23 million registered voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“If it’s this big, you’ve got a remedy for goodness sakes,” Carter told Essayli during the hearing. “Go out and indict.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“To be clear, the district court judge explained that voting unlawfully results in criminal exposure,” Pels wrote in her statement. “Consistent with this, California also wrote in its filing that the remedy for unlawful voting is through criminal prosecution. Thus, while DOJ maintains that a civil remedy is still available, all agree that noncitizen voting is properly addressed through criminal law.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin Levitt, an elections law expert at Loyola Law School, said federal prosecutors can argue they’re carrying out a legitimate criminal investigation, but in that case, there shouldn’t be any rush to subpoena officials in the middle of the election. The statute of limitations on federal voting offenses, he noted, is five years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Because they have no role in affecting the election results, there is no reason whatsoever for them to demand this information now,” Levitt said. “It’s not directly against the judge’s order … but it’s certainly not going to make the judge happy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California Sen. Tom Umberg, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor representing the Santa Ana area, said he was appalled that his former employer was clearly attempting “to intimidate public officials in exercising their sworn duties.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I’m embarrassed and outraged that they’re trying to interfere with the election,” he said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Essalyi didn’t return a text message seeking comment Thursday.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Professor Michael Vitiello, an expert on criminal law at the University of Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, agreed that the federal government is trying to make election officials “insecure and fearful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Maybe technically they’re trying to avoid direct conflict with the judge’s order, but they’re sure signaling that … election officials should lose some money, lose some sleep and maybe even go consult with lawyers,” Vitiello said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/ca-election-officials-subpoenas/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a federal judge \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">issued a blistering order\u003c/a> warning federal prosecutors to stop threatening California election officials with crimes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a federal judge \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">issued a blistering order\u003c/a> warning federal prosecutors to stop threatening California election officials with crimes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A day later, federal prosecutors kept going. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At least four elections workers in California have received federal criminal grand jury subpoenas over the past week, with at least one delivered on Thursday after the court’s order.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At least four elections workers in California have received federal criminal grand jury subpoenas over the past week, with at least one delivered on Thursday after the court’s order.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In that subpoena, issued to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’s office, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security are seeking unredacted voter records for 60 people, according to records obtained by CalMatters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In that subpoena, issued to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’s office, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security are seeking unredacted voter records for 60 people, according to records obtained by CalMatters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Colby Brown, rover supervisor at the Veterans Memorial Center voting center, seals a ballot drop box, in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085887\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Colby Brown, rover supervisor at the Veterans Memorial Center voting center, seals a ballot drop box, in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The subpoenas signal an intensification of the federal government’s unprecedented targeting of California’s elections, setting up what could be a showdown over the fundamentals of American democracy around next Tuesday’s midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The subpoenas signal an intensification of the federal government’s unprecedented targeting of California’s elections, setting up what could be a showdown over the fundamentals of American democracy around next Tuesday’s midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The prosecutors include those in the office of Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, a leading aide in President Donald Trump’s push to find evidence to support longstanding — and never proven — claims that California elections are rigged in Democrats’ favor due to noncitizen votes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The prosecutors include those in the office of Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, a leading aide in President Donald Trump’s push to find evidence to support longstanding — and never proven — claims that California elections are rigged in Democrats’ favor due to noncitizen votes.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/doj-orders-criminal-probes-of-california-officials-over-ballots\">Bloomberg Law first reported\u003c/a> Thursday that U.S. Justice Department leaders had directed top federal prosecutors to pursue criminal subpoenas of state and local officials in their efforts to find evidence that noncitizens were allowed to vote. The news outlet cited two unnamed sources familiar with the situation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/doj-orders-criminal-probes-of-california-officials-over-ballots\">Bloomberg Law first reported\u003c/a> Thursday that U.S. Justice Department leaders had directed top federal prosecutors to pursue criminal subpoenas of state and local officials in their efforts to find evidence that noncitizens were allowed to vote. The news outlet cited two unnamed sources familiar with the situation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This month Essayli sued California and Los Angeles County, demanding they set aside the ballots of 20,000 registered voters he accused of not being U.S. citizens, and last week the Justice Department sent letters threatening local elections officials with criminal charges if they did not do the same with lists of voters in their own counties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This month Essayli sued California and Los Angeles County, demanding they set aside the ballots of 20,000 registered voters he accused of not being U.S. citizens, and last week the Justice Department sent letters threatening local elections officials with criminal charges if they did not do the same with lists of voters in their own counties.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>County election officials from across California have said spot checks \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">found the government’s list of names to be inaccurate\u003c/a> and have challenged the legality of the requests. Officials in only one county so far – San Luis Obispo – have announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney/latest-news/2026/october/district-attorney-investigating-63-federally-identified-registrations-and-local-election-referrals\">they will investigate\u003c/a> the voters from the Justice Department’s demand letters. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>County election officials from across California have said spot checks \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">found the government’s list of names to be inaccurate\u003c/a> and have challenged the legality of the requests. Officials in only one county so far – San Luis Obispo – have announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney/latest-news/2026/october/district-attorney-investigating-63-federally-identified-registrations-and-local-election-referrals\">they will investigate\u003c/a> the voters from the Justice Department’s demand letters. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Los Angeles County, federal prosecutors last week subpoenaed three employees of the Registrar-Recorder’s Office, ordering them to testify before a grand jury in a criminal investigation on Nov. 4, the day after the election. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In Los Angeles County, federal prosecutors last week subpoenaed three employees of the Registrar-Recorder’s Office, ordering them to testify before a grand jury in a criminal investigation on Nov. 4, the day after the election. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Prosecutors demanded county employees bring records of how their department prevents non-citizens from voting and “records relating to or involving evidence collected by your agency which tends to indicate an alien has voted in a federal election.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Prosecutors demanded county employees bring records of how their department prevents non-citizens from voting and “records relating to or involving evidence collected by your agency which tends to indicate an alien has voted in a federal election.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a statement, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan said prosecutors were taking a “confrontational, adversarial approach.” He said the federal judge’s warning to stop making threats directed at election officials “was well placed and appreciated.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a statement, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan said prosecutors were taking a “confrontational, adversarial approach.” He said the federal judge’s warning to stop making threats directed at election officials “was well placed and appreciated.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Threats and intimidation have no place in elections,” Logan said. “We will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and to remain focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Threats and intimidation have no place in elections,” Logan said. “We will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and to remain focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Orange County, federal agents obtained the new grand jury subpoena last week but elections officials received it Thursday. It is similar to previous information demands from federal prosecutors. Elections officials had in September produced records on 20 registered voters in response to subpoenas. On Thursday, Registrar of Voters Bob Page told CalMatters three of those names appeared again in the new subpoena.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In Orange County, federal agents obtained the new grand jury subpoena last week but elections officials received it Thursday. It is similar to previous information demands from federal prosecutors. Elections officials had in September produced records on 20 registered voters in response to subpoenas. On Thursday, Registrar of Voters Bob Page told CalMatters three of those names appeared again in the new subpoena.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The federal government downplayed the subpoenas and suggested elections officials weren’t the targets of its investigation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Receiving a subpoena doesn’t mean you are a target,” Justice Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in an emailed statement. “In fact, generally, the DOJ doesn’t subpoena targets.” \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Receiving a subpoena doesn’t mean you are a target,” Justice Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in an emailed statement. “In fact, generally, the DOJ doesn’t subpoena targets.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Judge says ‘these threats must stop’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Judge says ‘these threats must stop’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In his courtroom on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter made it clear that the federal government needed to stop \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">threatening election workers with criminal charges\u003c/a> if they didn’t comply with prosecutors’ demands. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In his courtroom on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter made it clear that the federal government needed to stop \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">threatening election workers with criminal charges\u003c/a> if they didn’t comply with prosecutors’ demands. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This court believes it would be wise that any threats to state or county (election) employees cease immediately,” Carter told the courtroom. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This court believes it would be wise that any threats to state or county (election) employees cease immediately,” Carter told the courtroom. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He made the warning formal in his written ruling issued Wednesday evening. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Never before in American history has the federal government, on the eve of an election, sought to coerce a state and local government to abandon their own Constitutional elections procedures and bend to the will of the Executive Branch,” Carter wrote. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Never before in American history has the federal government, on the eve of an election, sought to coerce a state and local government to abandon their own Constitutional elections procedures and bend to the will of the Executive Branch,” Carter wrote. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The court reiterates what it said yesterday: these threats must stop,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“The court reiterates what it said yesterday: these threats must stop,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department has appealed Carter’s ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pels said prosecutors are merely doing what Carter told them to do: prosecute illegal voting if it’s found.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Justice Department has appealed Carter’s ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pels said prosecutors are merely doing what Carter told them to do: prosecute illegal voting if it’s found.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In expressing skepticism about the Trump administration’s claims, Carter told Essayli in court on Tuesday that if noncitizens really are voting in as large of numbers as the Trump administration claims, there’s nothing stopping federal prosecutors from finding them and charging them without the risk of blocking legal voters from having their ballots counted. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In expressing skepticism about the Trump administration’s claims, Carter told Essayli in court on Tuesday that if noncitizens really are voting in as large of numbers as the Trump administration claims, there’s nothing stopping federal prosecutors from finding them and charging them without the risk of blocking legal voters from having their ballots counted. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Last week, federal prosecutors across California charged 28 people with registering to vote despite not being citizens. Not all of those people had voted in past elections; those charged amount to 0.0001% of the state’s 23 million registered voters.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Last week, federal prosecutors across California charged 28 people with registering to vote despite not being citizens. Not all of those people had voted in past elections; those charged amount to 0.0001% of the state’s 23 million registered voters.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“If it’s this big, you’ve got a remedy for goodness sakes,” Carter told Essayli during the hearing. “Go out and indict.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“If it’s this big, you’ve got a remedy for goodness sakes,” Carter told Essayli during the hearing. “Go out and indict.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“To be clear, the district court judge explained that voting unlawfully results in criminal exposure,” Pels wrote in her statement. “Consistent with this, California also wrote in its filing that the remedy for unlawful voting is through criminal prosecution. Thus, while DOJ maintains that a civil remedy is still available, all agree that noncitizen voting is properly addressed through criminal law.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“To be clear, the district court judge explained that voting unlawfully results in criminal exposure,” Pels wrote in her statement. “Consistent with this, California also wrote in its filing that the remedy for unlawful voting is through criminal prosecution. Thus, while DOJ maintains that a civil remedy is still available, all agree that noncitizen voting is properly addressed through criminal law.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Justin Levitt, an elections law expert at Loyola Law School, said federal prosecutors can argue they’re carrying out a legitimate criminal investigation, but in that case, there shouldn’t be any rush to subpoena officials in the middle of the election. The statute of limitations on federal voting offenses, he noted, is five years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Justin Levitt, an elections law expert at Loyola Law School, said federal prosecutors can argue they’re carrying out a legitimate criminal investigation, but in that case, there shouldn’t be any rush to subpoena officials in the middle of the election. The statute of limitations on federal voting offenses, he noted, is five years.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Because they have no role in affecting the election results, there is no reason whatsoever for them to demand this information now,” Levitt said. “It’s not directly against the judge’s order … but it’s certainly not going to make the judge happy.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Because they have no role in affecting the election results, there is no reason whatsoever for them to demand this information now,” Levitt said. “It’s not directly against the judge’s order … but it’s certainly not going to make the judge happy.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California Sen. Tom Umberg, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor representing the Santa Ana area, said he was appalled that his former employer was clearly attempting “to intimidate public officials in exercising their sworn duties.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I’m embarrassed and outraged that they’re trying to interfere with the election,” he said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Essalyi didn’t return a text message seeking comment Thursday.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Professor Michael Vitiello, an expert on criminal law at the University of Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, agreed that the federal government is trying to make election officials “insecure and fearful.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California Sen. Tom Umberg, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor representing the Santa Ana area, said he was appalled that his former employer was clearly attempting “to intimidate public officials in exercising their sworn duties.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I’m embarrassed and outraged that they’re trying to interfere with the election,” he said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Essalyi didn’t return a text message seeking comment Thursday.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Professor Michael Vitiello, an expert on criminal law at the University of Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, agreed that the federal government is trying to make election officials “insecure and fearful.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Maybe technically they’re trying to avoid direct conflict with the judge’s order, but they’re sure signaling that … election officials should lose some money, lose some sleep and maybe even go consult with lawyers,” Vitiello said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Maybe technically they’re trying to avoid direct conflict with the judge’s order, but they’re sure signaling that … election officials should lose some money, lose some sleep and maybe even go consult with lawyers,” Vitiello said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/ca-election-officials-subpoenas/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "A federal judge warned federal prosecutors to stop threatening California election officials, but prosecutors kept going. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, a federal judge \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107158/judge-rejects-trump-administration-bid-to-set-aside-20000-california-ballots\">issued a blistering order\u003c/a> warning federal prosecutors to stop threatening California election officials with crimes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A day later, federal prosecutors kept going. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At least four elections workers in California have received federal criminal grand jury subpoenas over the past week, with at least one delivered on Thursday after the court’s order.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In that subpoena, issued to the Orange County Registrar of Voters’s office, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security are seeking unredacted voter records for 60 people, according to records obtained by CalMatters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085887\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-6-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Colby Brown, rover supervisor at the Veterans Memorial Center voting center, seals a ballot drop box, in Davis on June 2, 2026. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The subpoenas signal an intensification of the federal government’s unprecedented targeting of California’s elections, setting up what could be a showdown over the fundamentals of American democracy around next Tuesday’s midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The prosecutors include those in the office of Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, a leading aide in President Donald Trump’s push to find evidence to support longstanding — and never proven — claims that California elections are rigged in Democrats’ favor due to noncitizen votes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/doj-orders-criminal-probes-of-california-officials-over-ballots\">Bloomberg Law first reported\u003c/a> Thursday that U.S. Justice Department leaders had directed top federal prosecutors to pursue criminal subpoenas of state and local officials in their efforts to find evidence that noncitizens were allowed to vote. The news outlet cited two unnamed sources familiar with the situation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This month Essayli sued California and Los Angeles County, demanding they set aside the ballots of 20,000 registered voters he accused of not being U.S. citizens, and last week the Justice Department sent letters threatening local elections officials with criminal charges if they did not do the same with lists of voters in their own counties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">County election officials from across California have said spot checks \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">found the government’s list of names to be inaccurate\u003c/a> and have challenged the legality of the requests. Officials in only one county so far – San Luis Obispo – have announced \u003ca href=\"https://www.slocounty.ca.gov/departments/district-attorney/latest-news/2026/october/district-attorney-investigating-63-federally-identified-registrations-and-local-election-referrals\">they will investigate\u003c/a> the voters from the Justice Department’s demand letters. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the subpoenas say \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Los Angeles County, federal prosecutors last week subpoenaed three employees of the Registrar-Recorder’s Office, ordering them to testify before a grand jury in a criminal investigation on Nov. 4, the day after the election. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prosecutors demanded county employees bring records of how their department prevents non-citizens from voting and “records relating to or involving evidence collected by your agency which tends to indicate an alien has voted in a federal election.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan said prosecutors were taking a “confrontational, adversarial approach.” He said the federal judge’s warning to stop making threats directed at election officials “was well placed and appreciated.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Threats and intimidation have no place in elections,” Logan said. “We will take whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and to remain focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Orange County, federal agents obtained the new grand jury subpoena last week but elections officials received it Thursday. It is similar to previous information demands from federal prosecutors. Elections officials had in September produced records on 20 registered voters in response to subpoenas. On Thursday, Registrar of Voters Bob Page told CalMatters three of those names appeared again in the new subpoena.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The federal government downplayed the subpoenas and suggested elections officials weren’t the targets of its investigation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Receiving a subpoena doesn’t mean you are a target,” Justice Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in an emailed statement. “In fact, generally, the DOJ doesn’t subpoena targets.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Judge says ‘these threats must stop’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In his courtroom on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter made it clear that the federal government needed to stop \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/trump-voting-claims-counties/\">threatening election workers with criminal charges\u003c/a> if they didn’t comply with prosecutors’ demands. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This court believes it would be wise that any threats to state or county (election) employees cease immediately,” Carter told the courtroom. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He made the warning formal in his written ruling issued Wednesday evening. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Never before in American history has the federal government, on the eve of an election, sought to coerce a state and local government to abandon their own Constitutional elections procedures and bend to the will of the Executive Branch,” Carter wrote. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11977756\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/CMPollWorkers02-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter fills out their ballot at a polling station at the American Legion in Shasta Lake, California, during a special election in Shasta County on Nov. 7, 2023. (Fred Greaves/CalMatters)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The court reiterates what it said yesterday: these threats must stop,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department has appealed Carter’s ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pels said prosecutors are merely doing what Carter told them to do: prosecute illegal voting if it’s found.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In expressing skepticism about the Trump administration’s claims, Carter told Essayli in court on Tuesday that if noncitizens really are voting in as large of numbers as the Trump administration claims, there’s nothing stopping federal prosecutors from finding them and charging them without the risk of blocking legal voters from having their ballots counted. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, federal prosecutors across California charged 28 people with registering to vote despite not being citizens. Not all of those people had voted in past elections; those charged amount to 0.0001% of the state’s 23 million registered voters.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“If it’s this big, you’ve got a remedy for goodness sakes,” Carter told Essayli during the hearing. “Go out and indict.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“To be clear, the district court judge explained that voting unlawfully results in criminal exposure,” Pels wrote in her statement. “Consistent with this, California also wrote in its filing that the remedy for unlawful voting is through criminal prosecution. Thus, while DOJ maintains that a civil remedy is still available, all agree that noncitizen voting is properly addressed through criminal law.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Justin Levitt, an elections law expert at Loyola Law School, said federal prosecutors can argue they’re carrying out a legitimate criminal investigation, but in that case, there shouldn’t be any rush to subpoena officials in the middle of the election. The statute of limitations on federal voting offenses, he noted, is five years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Because they have no role in affecting the election results, there is no reason whatsoever for them to demand this information now,” Levitt said. “It’s not directly against the judge’s order … but it’s certainly not going to make the judge happy.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California Sen. Tom Umberg, a Democrat and former federal prosecutor representing the Santa Ana area, said he was appalled that his former employer was clearly attempting “to intimidate public officials in exercising their sworn duties.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“I’m embarrassed and outraged that they’re trying to interfere with the election,” he said.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Essalyi didn’t return a text message seeking comment Thursday.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Professor Michael Vitiello, an expert on criminal law at the University of Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law, agreed that the federal government is trying to make election officials “insecure and fearful.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Maybe technically they’re trying to avoid direct conflict with the judge’s order, but they’re sure signaling that … election officials should lose some money, lose some sleep and maybe even go consult with lawyers,” Vitiello said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/ca-election-officials-subpoenas/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "dropbox-near-me-san-francisco-bay-area-find-my-polling-place-election-day-voter-guide-california-midterm-elections-2026-vote-for-governor",
"title": "Election 2026: Where Can I Drop Off My Midterm Ballot This Weekend— or Vote Early?",
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"headTitle": "Election 2026: Where Can I Drop Off My Midterm Ballot This Weekend— or Vote Early? | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California voters: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the midterm elections are here\u003c/a>, and Election Day is Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where you can vote in person and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ballot-drop-off\">How to find your closest voting location or ballot drop-off\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#in-person\">How to find your polling place on Election Day\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot \u003c/a>(\u003cem>before\u003c/em> you mail it) — and find out how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person if you really messed up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it best to drop off my ballot in a drop box or at a voting location?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. State officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t mail your ballot through the Postal Service this close to Election Day\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, find a secure official election drop box and drop it off there. Once you’ve placed your ballot into one of these drop boxes, it’ll then be taken straight to your county elections office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a>, for reassurance that it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also hand-deliver your ballot to any open voting location. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties, and more early voting locations will be open from Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Chan drops off his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">top recommendation\u003c/a> of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. If you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — which in the Bay Area are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also, of course, fill your ballot out in-person \u003cem>at \u003c/em>a voting location, and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few reasons the effort to hand-deliver your completed ballot instead of mailing it might be worth it:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Peace of mind:\u003c/strong> There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Timing:\u003c/strong> If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Assistance:\u003c/strong> If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of how you deliver it, you can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a> and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"in-person\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can I vote in person on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday, in-person voting is still available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. If you’re a San Francisco voter, this location will be City Hall. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county registrar’s office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Do I need to bring my ballot with me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I still need to register to vote. What should I do? Can I do this on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This close to Election Day, if you want to register to vote — or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\">re-register,\u003c/a> if you’ve changed your name, want to change the political party choice you previously registered to vote with or have moved address — you’ll need to do this in person. (The online deadline for voter registration was Oct.19.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do this, you’ll complete the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"ballot-drop-off\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I find my voting location or ballot drop-off?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secure drop boxes \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">opened back on Oct. 5, and the first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties. Widespread early voting locations will open on Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visit the \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">state of California lookup tool\u003c/a>, where you can:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"county\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>California voters: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the midterm elections are here\u003c/a>, and Election Day is Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>California voters: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the midterm elections are here\u003c/a>, and Election Day is Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where you can vote in person and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where you can vote in person and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot \u003c/a>(\u003cem>before\u003c/em> you mail it) — and find out how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person if you really messed up.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot \u003c/a>(\u003cem>before\u003c/em> you mail it) — and find out how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person if you really messed up.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
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"text": "Is it best to drop off my ballot in a drop box or at a voting location?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yes. State officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t mail your ballot through the Postal Service this close to Election Day\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yes. State officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t mail your ballot through the Postal Service this close to Election Day\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead, find a secure official election drop box and drop it off there. Once you’ve placed your ballot into one of these drop boxes, it’ll then be taken straight to your county elections office. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Instead, find a secure official election drop box and drop it off there. Once you’ve placed your ballot into one of these drop boxes, it’ll then be taken straight to your county elections office. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a>, for reassurance that it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a>, for reassurance that it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also hand-deliver your ballot to any open voting location. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties, and more early voting locations will be open from Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can also hand-deliver your ballot to any open voting location. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties, and more early voting locations will be open from Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Chan drops off his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107030\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Chan drops off his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">top recommendation\u003c/a> of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. If you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — which in the Bay Area are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">top recommendation\u003c/a> of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. If you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — which in the Bay Area are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also, of course, fill your ballot out in-person \u003cem>at \u003c/em>a voting location, and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You can also, of course, fill your ballot out in-person \u003cem>at \u003c/em>a voting location, and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A few reasons the effort to hand-deliver your completed ballot instead of mailing it might be worth it:\u003c/p>\n",
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"Peace of mind: There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery",
"Timing: If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted",
"Assistance: If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Peace of mind:\u003c/strong> There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Peace of mind:\u003c/strong> There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Timing:\u003c/strong> If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Timing:\u003c/strong> If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Assistance:\u003c/strong> If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Assistance:\u003c/strong> If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Regardless of how you deliver it, you can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a> and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Regardless of how you deliver it, you can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a> and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 id=\"in-person\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can I vote in person on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 id=\"in-person\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can I vote in person on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, in-person voting is still available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. If you’re a San Francisco voter, this location will be City Hall. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Tuesday, in-person voting is still available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. If you’re a San Francisco voter, this location will be City Hall. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103668\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county registrar’s office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county registrar’s office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do I need to bring my ballot with me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do I need to bring my ballot with me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "I still need to register to vote. What should I do? Can I do this on Election Day?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This close to Election Day, if you want to register to vote — or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\">re-register,\u003c/a> if you’ve changed your name, want to change the political party choice you previously registered to vote with or have moved address — you’ll need to do this in person. (The online deadline for voter registration was Oct.19.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This close to Election Day, if you want to register to vote — or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\">re-register,\u003c/a> if you’ve changed your name, want to change the political party choice you previously registered to vote with or have moved address — you’ll need to do this in person. (The online deadline for voter registration was Oct.19.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To do this, you’ll complete the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To do this, you’ll complete the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "How can I find my voting location or ballot drop-off?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 id=\"ballot-drop-off\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I find my voting location or ballot drop-off?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Secure drop boxes \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">opened back on Oct. 5, and the first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties. Widespread early voting locations will open on Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Secure drop boxes \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">opened back on Oct. 5, and the first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties. Widespread early voting locations will open on Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Visit the \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">state of California lookup tool\u003c/a>, where you can:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Visit the \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">state of California lookup tool\u003c/a>, where you can:\u003c/p>\n"
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"Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)",
"Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes",
"Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area.\u003c/li>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"anchor": "county",
"text": "How can I contact my county directly about voting?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 id=\"county\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 id=\"county\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n"
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"Alameda: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683",
"Contra Costa: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us",
"Marin: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to send a form email",
"Napa: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org",
"San Francisco: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org",
"San Mateo: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org",
"Santa Clara: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org",
"Solano: Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com",
"Sonoma: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
]
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{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"title": "Election 2026: Where Can I Drop Off My Midterm Ballot This Weekend— or Vote Early? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">California voters: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the midterm elections are here\u003c/a>, and Election Day is Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where you can vote in person and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California midterm elections. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ballot-drop-off\">How to find your closest voting location or ballot drop-off\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#in-person\">How to find your polling place on Election Day\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#county\">How to contact your county directly about voting\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103115/california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake\">read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot \u003c/a>(\u003cem>before\u003c/em> you mail it) — and find out how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person if you really messed up.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it best to drop off my ballot in a drop box or at a voting location?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. State officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t mail your ballot through the Postal Service this close to Election Day\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, find a secure official election drop box and drop it off there. Once you’ve placed your ballot into one of these drop boxes, it’ll then be taken straight to your county elections office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a>, for reassurance that it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also hand-deliver your ballot to any open voting location. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties, and more early voting locations will be open from Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12107030\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/251030-BayAreaVoters-04-BL_qed-afbb8079-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Chan drops off his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">top recommendation\u003c/a> of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. If you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — which in the Bay Area are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also, of course, fill your ballot out in-person \u003cem>at \u003c/em>a voting location, and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A few reasons the effort to hand-deliver your completed ballot instead of mailing it might be worth it:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Peace of mind:\u003c/strong> There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Timing:\u003c/strong> If it’s Election Day itself, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Assistance:\u003c/strong> If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless of how you deliver it, you can \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool\u003c/a> and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"in-person\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can I vote in person on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Tuesday, in-person voting is still available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. If you’re a San Francisco voter, this location will be City Hall. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12103668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/261008-ELECTIONSTOCKIMAGERY-09-BL-KQED-eb95111c-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A vote-by-mail ballot for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election on Oct. 8, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices\">your county registrar’s office\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Do I need to bring my ballot with me?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I still need to register to vote. What should I do? Can I do this on Election Day?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This close to Election Day, if you want to register to vote — or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/\">re-register,\u003c/a> if you’ve changed your name, want to change the political party choice you previously registered to vote with or have moved address — you’ll need to do this in person. (The online deadline for voter registration was Oct.19.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do this, you’ll complete the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"ballot-drop-off\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I find my voting location or ballot drop-off?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Secure drop boxes \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">opened back on Oct. 5, and the first vote centers opened\u003c/a> Oct. 24 in certain counties. Widespread early voting locations will open on Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Visit the \u003ca href=\"https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/\">state of California lookup tool\u003c/a>, where you can:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"county\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I contact my county directly about voting?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "california-midterms-elections-2026-vote-for-governor-ballot-signature-how-to-correct-mistake",
"title": "Midterms 2026: How to Correct a Mistake on Your Ballot (and Make Sure Your Vote’s Counted in Time)",
"publishDate": 1793380140,
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"headTitle": "Midterms 2026: How to Correct a Mistake on Your Ballot (and Make Sure Your Vote’s Counted in Time) | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuesday is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/electionsnews\">Election Day\u003c/a> in California, your last chance to vote in the state’s general election — and to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">cast your vote\u003c/a> for who should be the next governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But what if you’re unsure of how to fill that ballot out according to how you want to vote? Or what to do if you’ve made a mistake on it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read on to learn how to fill out your ballot when it arrives, how important your signature is, and your options if you need to start again with a fresh ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#mistake\">I messed up my ballot, and I’m afraid my vote won’t count. What should I do? \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remind me: What’s on my 2026 midterm elections ballot?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on which county you live in, your California ballot will present you with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">a mix of races\u003c/a> to vote on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The races for statewide offices include:\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">Governor\u003c/a>: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton face off in a race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/insurance-commissioner\">Insurance commissioner\u003c/a>: Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis. Two Democrats, Ben Allen and Jane Kim, are running to become the insurance industry’s chief regulator.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078808\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12086476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086476\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xavier Becerra, a candidate for governor, speaks to supporters on election night on June 2, 2026. (David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A number of statewide propositions, including:\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-1\">Prop. 1\u003c/a>: Should California issue $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, homebuying opportunities and veterans and homelessness programs?\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-39\">Prop 39\u003c/a>: Should Californians be required to show ID for in-person and mail-in voting? \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Prop 40: \u003c/a>Should California tax the wealth of billionaires to fund health care services?\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local measures and races \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These will depend on your Bay Area county or district. See \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the KQED Voter Guide for more information\u003c/a> on what’s on your ballot this election season, with details of all those California props.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I return my ballot when I’ve completed it?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This close to Election Day, state officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t be \u003cem>mailing\u003c/em> your ballot through the Postal Service\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of submitting your ballot via a USPS collection box, you should now:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop off your ballot in a secure ballot drop box\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using one of these drop boxes means your ballot will be taken straight to your local county elections office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop off your ballot in an open voting location\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the top recommendation of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. You can fill out your ballot in person at a voting location and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or, if you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — in the Bay Area, that’s Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at your convenience at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Really\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>have\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>to use the Postal Service this close to Election Day?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this late stage, we’ll say it again\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">: You shouldn’t be using a USPS collection box\u003c/a> to mail your ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you really have to use USPS for some reason instead of the methods above, Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office recommends you go inside an open Post Office location to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">“get a hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from a postal employee,” and then submit your postmarked ballot through USPS that way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I \u003cem>have\u003c/em> to vote by mail?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">If you’re registered to vote, you’ll have received a mail-in ballot by default\u003c/a> for the 2026 midterms, without requesting it. But voting by mail is still just one option that’s open to you.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can still vote in person, either at an early voting location before Election Day or on Tuesday itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person puts a yellow ballot envelope in a ballot drop box.\" class=\"wp-image-12012711\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their mail-in ballot at a drop box outside of Novato City Hall on Nov. 2, 2024. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I fix a mistake on my ballot?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s important to note that each county is slightly different in how they’d prefer you to address a mistake on your ballot, and will often provide specific details about corrections \u003cem>on\u003c/em> the ballot itself. If you have a specific question about your ballot that isn’t answered here, you can always contact your local registrar of voters for advice and instructions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I have problems with my signature?\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you’re done filling out your ballot, you must sign the envelope. But two big mistakes people make with their signatures are:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Forgetting to sign their ballot entirely.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Making a signature that doesn’t match the signature they made when they registered to vote.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why \u003cem>wouldn’t\u003c/em> your signature match the one on file? If you registered to vote at a young age, maybe your signature has changed over time. Or perhaps you registered to vote at the DMV and provided your signature on a screen with a stylus, which doesn’t quite replicate how you’d make your signature with a pen on paper.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you registered this way, one simple way to avoid any signature problems is to take a quick glance at the signature that’s on your driver’s license or state ID — because that’s the one you want your ballot signature to match.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if you didn’t register at the DMV, that signature on your most recent license or state ID is still very likely the one to emulate. That’s because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV \u003cem>currently\u003c/em> has for you, and this information is regularly updated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To further set your mind at rest, know that California isn’t an “exact match” state, and doesn’t demand voters’ signatures 100% replicate the signature that’s on file.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I just don’t know my ‘correct’ signature I’m registered to vote with?\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> worried about the signature on your envelope not matching the signature you’re registered to vote with, there are two good solutions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One: \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">Re-register to vote with your current signature\u003c/a>, to be sure that the state now has your most recent one on file, by completing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” at your county elections office or polling location. You’ll be handed your ballot to vote right there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2021, the California Voter Foundation’s Alexander told us there’s another solution if you’re worried about your signature: Go vote in person, if you’re able.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That’s because the signature goes only on your ballot’s \u003cem>envelope\u003c/em> — and if you’re voting in person, there’s no envelope, because that ballot then goes straight into the ballot box without needing that envelope at all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“So if you want that satisfaction of seeing your ballot drop in the box and know that it’s not going to get held up because of some signature issue, you can go and vote in person,” said Alexander.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I already mailed my ballot, but now I’m paranoid about my signature. What if I messed it up?\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rest assured: There’s a whole system in place to help you correct your mistake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your county’s election office detects a signature mismatch on your ballot, they’ll reach out to you via mail to verify and work with you to correct it, so that your ballot can be counted after all. It’s called “curing” a ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This system is also applied when it looks like a member of a voter’s family might have signed their ballot, instead of the voter. This happens a \u003cem>surprising\u003c/em> amount when one household has several voters who all receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One way to get peace of mind: \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Sign up to track your ballot\u003c/a>, and you’ll find out about any issues with your ballot or your signature quickly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"mistake\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">I made a mistake on my ballot. How do I fix it?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, don’t panic. People make mistakes on ballots and find good ways to correct them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Counties give different directions to voters about what to do if they make a mistake (remember: Read the instructions!), but you can usually simply X out the choice you didn’t intend.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085889\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters cast their ballots at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The job of county elections officials — once they’ve verified your signature — is to make sure your ballot can be read correctly. If that means that your corrections on your ballot have resulted in readability issues, officials working in teams of two will actually remake it for you according to the intent you’ve signaled with your corrections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some counties, like Alameda, ask that you actually contact them first if you make a serious mistake — including voting for the wrong candidate — so they can send you a replacement ballot. So, wherever you live, it’s a good idea to check with your local elections office first to see what \u003cem>they\u003c/em> recommend if you made a mistake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And remember, there’s always this option …\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I just want a new ballot?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’ve made a big mistake on your ballot — too big to fix — your best plan of action may be to focus on getting a new one. And that’s totally OK. You can:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Call your county elections office and ask them to cancel that ballot and issue a new one to you.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Go to your county elections office with your spoiled ballot during business hours and vote right there at the counter.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Take advantage of the early voting options available in many counties.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Go to a voting site on Tuesday’s Election Day, turn in your spoiled ballot there and get a new ballot.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also do this if you’ve accidentally damaged your ballot in some way (coffee spills happen).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I think I put the wrong date on my envelope\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First off, that date should be the date you signed your envelope — not your date of birth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you’re worried you messed up the date, don’t worry. Elections officials say that the date they’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> looking for is the date that the ballot is postmarked, to make sure it was submitted on time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco official mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3, 2020 election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Election officials will only truly scrutinize the date you’ve written if they receive your ballot \u003cem>after\u003c/em> Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you haven’t mailed your envelope yet, it’s an easy fix: Just clearly cross out the incorrect date on the envelope and write in the correct one above it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I use assistive technology to complete forms?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting physical assistance with filling out your ballot from someone you trust is always fine, whether you’re voting at home or at a voting site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You just need to make sure your signature is your own and matches the one you’re registered to vote with.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062371\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tessa King drops off a ballot at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Disabled voters can also choose to use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/remote-accessible-vote-mail\">Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail\u003c/a> system to vote privately and independently at home, using their usual assistive device on their home computer to fill out the ballot on their screen and then print and mail it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every voting location in California is also equipped with an accessible voting unit. Here, voters with blindness or low vision or who have a disability that limits their dexterity, will be able to use the assistive device of their choice that allows them to vote privately and independently.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I make sure my mail-in ballot gets there on time? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, one big reason that ballots get disqualified in elections is that voters mail them too late: either too late on Election Day itself (after U.S. Postal Service mailboxes have already been collected), or after Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be counted in this election, your ballot must be postmarked on Election Day, Nov. 3, at the latest. Your ballot has seven days to reach your county elections office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So in this election, it’s as crucial as ever to make sure you have a plan for voting on time. And if you’re not voting in person, that means making sure you get your ballot into a secure voting drop box, or dropped off at a polling location or your county elections office, by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more about why \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">California election officials are urging voters to make sure their ballot arrives on time\u003c/a> – and why they say it’s too late at this stage to mail your ballot through USPS.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A few other common ballot mistakes to watch out for …\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you’re filling out and signing the ballot and envelope with \u003cem>your\u003c/em> name on it: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s common to see partners or roommates accidentally mix up their ballots. So make sure you’re signing the document that bears your name.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you use a black or blue pen: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It reads better, and it doesn’t slow workers down when they have to check to see what voter intent was. (Don’t use a felt-tip or a Sharpie that bleeds through the paper and marks other pages on your ballot.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tanya Yule looks over a voting guide at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 9, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t mail an empty envelope: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It does happen. Keeping your envelope and your ballot together in your home might be a helpful way of avoiding this problem. And of course, when you’re ready to mail your ballot, make sure it’s actually inside the envelope before you seal it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t bother with a stamp: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your ballot envelope is postage-paid. You don’t need it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My ballot is missing or hasn’t arrived. What should I do?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t panic: You have options. Here’s what to do.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Check that you’re actually registered to vote — and to the right address.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status. This will show whether you’re actually registered to vote, and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095745\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter is given a sticker after dropping his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>If your voter registration address was correct but your ballot never showed up, you still have options.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day, because it can’t be sure it’ll reach you in time. So if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter. You can also vote right there at the counter at the same time until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a>, also known as conditional voter registration, at a voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact your county directly\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888- 762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or (888) 933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tuesday is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/electionsnews\">Election Day\u003c/a> in California, your last chance to vote in the state’s general election — and to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">cast your vote\u003c/a> for who should be the next governor.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Tuesday is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/electionsnews\">Election Day\u003c/a> in California, your last chance to vote in the state’s general election — and to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">cast your vote\u003c/a> for who should be the next governor.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But what if you’re unsure of how to fill that ballot out according to how you want to vote? Or what to do if you’ve made a mistake on it?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But what if you’re unsure of how to fill that ballot out according to how you want to vote? Or what to do if you’ve made a mistake on it?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read on to learn how to fill out your ballot when it arrives, how important your signature is, and your options if you need to start again with a fresh ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Read on to learn how to fill out your ballot when it arrives, how important your signature is, and your options if you need to start again with a fresh ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"Jump to: I messed up my ballot, and I’m afraid my vote won’t count. What should I do? "
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003c/ul>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#mistake\">I messed up my ballot, and I’m afraid my vote won’t count. What should I do? \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#mistake\">I messed up my ballot, and I’m afraid my vote won’t count. What should I do? \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Remind me: What’s on my 2026 midterm elections ballot?",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remind me: What’s on my 2026 midterm elections ballot?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Depending on which county you live in, your California ballot will present you with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">a mix of races\u003c/a> to vote on.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Depending on which county you live in, your California ballot will present you with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">a mix of races\u003c/a> to vote on.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "The races for statewide offices include:"
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"Governor: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton face off in a race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.",
"Insurance commissioner: Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis. Two Democrats, Ben Allen and Jane Kim, are running to become the insurance industry’s chief regulator."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">Governor\u003c/a>: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton face off in a race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">Governor\u003c/a>: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton face off in a race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/insurance-commissioner\">Insurance commissioner\u003c/a>: Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis. Two Democrats, Ben Allen and Jane Kim, are running to become the insurance industry’s chief regulator.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/insurance-commissioner\">Insurance commissioner\u003c/a>: Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis. Two Democrats, Ben Allen and Jane Kim, are running to become the insurance industry’s chief regulator.\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078808\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078808\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086476\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xavier Becerra, a candidate for governor, speaks to supporters on election night on June 2, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086476\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xavier Becerra, a candidate for governor, speaks to supporters on election night on June 2, 2026. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "A number of statewide propositions, including:"
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"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A number of statewide propositions, including:\u003c/h3>\n"
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"Prop. 1: Should California issue $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, homebuying opportunities and veterans and homelessness programs?",
"Prop 39: Should Californians be required to show ID for in-person and mail-in voting? ",
"Prop 40: Should California tax the wealth of billionaires to fund health care services?"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-1\">Prop. 1\u003c/a>: Should California issue $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, homebuying opportunities and veterans and homelessness programs?\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-1\">Prop. 1\u003c/a>: Should California issue $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, homebuying opportunities and veterans and homelessness programs?\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-39\">Prop 39\u003c/a>: Should Californians be required to show ID for in-person and mail-in voting? \u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-39\">Prop 39\u003c/a>: Should Californians be required to show ID for in-person and mail-in voting? \u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Prop 40: \u003c/a>Should California tax the wealth of billionaires to fund health care services?\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Prop 40: \u003c/a>Should California tax the wealth of billionaires to fund health care services?\u003c/li>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"level": 3,
"text": "Local measures and races "
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local measures and races \u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local measures and races \u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These will depend on your Bay Area county or district. See \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the KQED Voter Guide for more information\u003c/a> on what’s on your ballot this election season, with details of all those California props.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>These will depend on your Bay Area county or district. See \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the KQED Voter Guide for more information\u003c/a> on what’s on your ballot this election season, with details of all those California props.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How do I return my ballot when I’ve completed it?",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I return my ballot when I’ve completed it?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This close to Election Day, state officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t be \u003cem>mailing\u003c/em> your ballot through the Postal Service\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This close to Election Day, state officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t be \u003cem>mailing\u003c/em> your ballot through the Postal Service\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Instead of submitting your ballot via a USPS collection box, you should now:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Instead of submitting your ballot via a USPS collection box, you should now:\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
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"text": "Drop off your ballot in a secure ballot drop box"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop off your ballot in a secure ballot drop box\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop off your ballot in a secure ballot drop box\u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Using one of these drop boxes means your ballot will be taken straight to your local county elections office.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Using one of these drop boxes means your ballot will be taken straight to your local county elections office.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"text": "Drop off your ballot in an open voting location"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the top recommendation of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. You can fill out your ballot in person at a voting location and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the top recommendation of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. You can fill out your ballot in person at a voting location and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Or, if you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — in the Bay Area, that’s Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at your convenience at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Or, if you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — in the Bay Area, that’s Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at your convenience at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Really\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>have\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>to use the Postal Service this close to Election Day?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Really\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>have\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>to use the Postal Service this close to Election Day?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>At this late stage, we’ll say it again\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">: You shouldn’t be using a USPS collection box\u003c/a> to mail your ballot. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>At this late stage, we’ll say it again\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">: You shouldn’t be using a USPS collection box\u003c/a> to mail your ballot. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But if you really have to use USPS for some reason instead of the methods above, Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office recommends you go inside an open Post Office location to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">“get a hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from a postal employee,” and then submit your postmarked ballot through USPS that way.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But if you really have to use USPS for some reason instead of the methods above, Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office recommends you go inside an open Post Office location to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">“get a hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from a postal employee,” and then submit your postmarked ballot through USPS that way.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Do I have to vote by mail?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I \u003cem>have\u003c/em> to vote by mail?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I \u003cem>have\u003c/em> to vote by mail?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>No. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">If you’re registered to vote, you’ll have received a mail-in ballot by default\u003c/a> for the 2026 midterms, without requesting it. But voting by mail is still just one option that’s open to you.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>No. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">If you’re registered to vote, you’ll have received a mail-in ballot by default\u003c/a> for the 2026 midterms, without requesting it. But voting by mail is still just one option that’s open to you.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can still vote in person, either at an early voting location before Election Day or on Tuesday itself.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can still vote in person, either at an early voting location before Election Day or on Tuesday itself.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person puts a yellow ballot envelope in a ballot drop box.\" class=\"wp-image-12012711\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their mail-in ballot at a drop box outside of Novato City Hall on Nov. 2, 2024.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How do I fix a mistake on my ballot?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s important to note that each county is slightly different in how they’d prefer you to address a mistake on your ballot, and will often provide specific details about corrections \u003cem>on\u003c/em> the ballot itself. If you have a specific question about your ballot that isn’t answered here, you can always contact your local registrar of voters for advice and instructions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s important to note that each county is slightly different in how they’d prefer you to address a mistake on your ballot, and will often provide specific details about corrections \u003cem>on\u003c/em> the ballot itself. If you have a specific question about your ballot that isn’t answered here, you can always contact your local registrar of voters for advice and instructions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "What if I have problems with my signature?"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When you’re done filling out your ballot, you must sign the envelope. But two big mistakes people make with their signatures are:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When you’re done filling out your ballot, you must sign the envelope. But two big mistakes people make with their signatures are:\u003c/p>\n"
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"Forgetting to sign their ballot entirely.",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Forgetting to sign their ballot entirely.\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Making a signature that doesn’t match the signature they made when they registered to vote.\u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Why \u003cem>wouldn’t\u003c/em> your signature match the one on file? If you registered to vote at a young age, maybe your signature has changed over time. Or perhaps you registered to vote at the DMV and provided your signature on a screen with a stylus, which doesn’t quite replicate how you’d make your signature with a pen on paper.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Why \u003cem>wouldn’t\u003c/em> your signature match the one on file? If you registered to vote at a young age, maybe your signature has changed over time. Or perhaps you registered to vote at the DMV and provided your signature on a screen with a stylus, which doesn’t quite replicate how you’d make your signature with a pen on paper.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you registered this way, one simple way to avoid any signature problems is to take a quick glance at the signature that’s on your driver’s license or state ID — because that’s the one you want your ballot signature to match.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you registered this way, one simple way to avoid any signature problems is to take a quick glance at the signature that’s on your driver’s license or state ID — because that’s the one you want your ballot signature to match.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even if you didn’t register at the DMV, that signature on your most recent license or state ID is still very likely the one to emulate. That’s because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV \u003cem>currently\u003c/em> has for you, and this information is regularly updated.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Even if you didn’t register at the DMV, that signature on your most recent license or state ID is still very likely the one to emulate. That’s because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV \u003cem>currently\u003c/em> has for you, and this information is regularly updated.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To further set your mind at rest, know that California isn’t an “exact match” state, and doesn’t demand voters’ signatures 100% replicate the signature that’s on file.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To further set your mind at rest, know that California isn’t an “exact match” state, and doesn’t demand voters’ signatures 100% replicate the signature that’s on file.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
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"text": "What if I just don’t know my ‘correct’ signature I’m registered to vote with?"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> worried about the signature on your envelope not matching the signature you’re registered to vote with, there are two good solutions.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> worried about the signature on your envelope not matching the signature you’re registered to vote with, there are two good solutions.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One: \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">Re-register to vote with your current signature\u003c/a>, to be sure that the state now has your most recent one on file, by completing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” at your county elections office or polling location. You’ll be handed your ballot to vote right there.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One: \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">Re-register to vote with your current signature\u003c/a>, to be sure that the state now has your most recent one on file, by completing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” at your county elections office or polling location. You’ll be handed your ballot to vote right there.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 2021, the California Voter Foundation’s Alexander told us there’s another solution if you’re worried about your signature: Go vote in person, if you’re able.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In 2021, the California Voter Foundation’s Alexander told us there’s another solution if you’re worried about your signature: Go vote in person, if you’re able.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That’s because the signature goes only on your ballot’s \u003cem>envelope\u003c/em> — and if you’re voting in person, there’s no envelope, because that ballot then goes straight into the ballot box without needing that envelope at all.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That’s because the signature goes only on your ballot’s \u003cem>envelope\u003c/em> — and if you’re voting in person, there’s no envelope, because that ballot then goes straight into the ballot box without needing that envelope at all.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“So if you want that satisfaction of seeing your ballot drop in the box and know that it’s not going to get held up because of some signature issue, you can go and vote in person,” said Alexander.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“So if you want that satisfaction of seeing your ballot drop in the box and know that it’s not going to get held up because of some signature issue, you can go and vote in person,” said Alexander.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"level": 3,
"text": "I already mailed my ballot, but now I’m paranoid about my signature. What if I messed it up?"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I already mailed my ballot, but now I’m paranoid about my signature. What if I messed it up?\u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I already mailed my ballot, but now I’m paranoid about my signature. What if I messed it up?\u003c/h3>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Rest assured: There’s a whole system in place to help you correct your mistake.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Rest assured: There’s a whole system in place to help you correct your mistake.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If your county’s election office detects a signature mismatch on your ballot, they’ll reach out to you via mail to verify and work with you to correct it, so that your ballot can be counted after all. It’s called “curing” a ballot.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If your county’s election office detects a signature mismatch on your ballot, they’ll reach out to you via mail to verify and work with you to correct it, so that your ballot can be counted after all. It’s called “curing” a ballot.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This system is also applied when it looks like a member of a voter’s family might have signed their ballot, instead of the voter. This happens a \u003cem>surprising\u003c/em> amount when one household has several voters who all receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This system is also applied when it looks like a member of a voter’s family might have signed their ballot, instead of the voter. This happens a \u003cem>surprising\u003c/em> amount when one household has several voters who all receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One way to get peace of mind: \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Sign up to track your ballot\u003c/a>, and you’ll find out about any issues with your ballot or your signature quickly.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One way to get peace of mind: \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Sign up to track your ballot\u003c/a>, and you’ll find out about any issues with your ballot or your signature quickly.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"anchor": "mistake",
"text": "I made a mistake on my ballot. How do I fix it?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 id=\"mistake\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">I made a mistake on my ballot. How do I fix it?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 id=\"mistake\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">I made a mistake on my ballot. How do I fix it?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First, don’t panic. People make mistakes on ballots and find good ways to correct them.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>First, don’t panic. People make mistakes on ballots and find good ways to correct them.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Counties give different directions to voters about what to do if they make a mistake (remember: Read the instructions!), but you can usually simply X out the choice you didn’t intend.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Counties give different directions to voters about what to do if they make a mistake (remember: Read the instructions!), but you can usually simply X out the choice you didn’t intend.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085889\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters cast their ballots at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085889\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters cast their ballots at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The job of county elections officials — once they’ve verified your signature — is to make sure your ballot can be read correctly. If that means that your corrections on your ballot have resulted in readability issues, officials working in teams of two will actually remake it for you according to the intent you’ve signaled with your corrections.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The job of county elections officials — once they’ve verified your signature — is to make sure your ballot can be read correctly. If that means that your corrections on your ballot have resulted in readability issues, officials working in teams of two will actually remake it for you according to the intent you’ve signaled with your corrections.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Some counties, like Alameda, ask that you actually contact them first if you make a serious mistake — including voting for the wrong candidate — so they can send you a replacement ballot. So, wherever you live, it’s a good idea to check with your local elections office first to see what \u003cem>they\u003c/em> recommend if you made a mistake.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Some counties, like Alameda, ask that you actually contact them first if you make a serious mistake — including voting for the wrong candidate — so they can send you a replacement ballot. So, wherever you live, it’s a good idea to check with your local elections office first to see what \u003cem>they\u003c/em> recommend if you made a mistake.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And remember, there’s always this option …\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>And remember, there’s always this option …\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What if I just want a new ballot?",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I just want a new ballot?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I just want a new ballot?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>If you’ve made a big mistake on your ballot — too big to fix — your best plan of action may be to focus on getting a new one. And that’s totally OK. You can:\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>If you’ve made a big mistake on your ballot — too big to fix — your best plan of action may be to focus on getting a new one. And that’s totally OK. You can:\u003c/p>\n"
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"items": [
"Call your county elections office and ask them to cancel that ballot and issue a new one to you.",
"Go to your county elections office with your spoiled ballot during business hours and vote right there at the counter.",
"Take advantage of the early voting options available in many counties.",
"Go to a voting site on Tuesday’s Election Day, turn in your spoiled ballot there and get a new ballot."
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003c/ul>\n",
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null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
"\n\n",
null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Call your county elections office and ask them to cancel that ballot and issue a new one to you.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Call your county elections office and ask them to cancel that ballot and issue a new one to you.\u003c/li>\n"
]
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{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Go to your county elections office with your spoiled ballot during business hours and vote right there at the counter.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Go to your county elections office with your spoiled ballot during business hours and vote right there at the counter.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Take advantage of the early voting options available in many counties.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Take advantage of the early voting options available in many counties.\u003c/li>\n"
]
},
{
"blockName": "core/list-item",
"attrs": [],
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>Go to a voting site on Tuesday’s Election Day, turn in your spoiled ballot there and get a new ballot.\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>Go to a voting site on Tuesday’s Election Day, turn in your spoiled ballot there and get a new ballot.\u003c/li>\n"
]
}
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"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also do this if you’ve accidentally damaged your ballot in some way (coffee spills happen).\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can also do this if you’ve accidentally damaged your ballot in some way (coffee spills happen).\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "I think I put the wrong date on my envelope",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I think I put the wrong date on my envelope\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I think I put the wrong date on my envelope\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>First off, that date should be the date you signed your envelope — not your date of birth. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>First off, that date should be the date you signed your envelope — not your date of birth. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But if you’re worried you messed up the date, don’t worry. Elections officials say that the date they’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> looking for is the date that the ballot is postmarked, to make sure it was submitted on time.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But if you’re worried you messed up the date, don’t worry. Elections officials say that the date they’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> looking for is the date that the ballot is postmarked, to make sure it was submitted on time.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco official mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3, 2020 election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099795\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco official mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3, 2020 election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Election officials will only truly scrutinize the date you’ve written if they receive your ballot \u003cem>after\u003c/em> Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Election officials will only truly scrutinize the date you’ve written if they receive your ballot \u003cem>after\u003c/em> Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t mailed your envelope yet, it’s an easy fix: Just clearly cross out the incorrect date on the envelope and write in the correct one above it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t mailed your envelope yet, it’s an easy fix: Just clearly cross out the incorrect date on the envelope and write in the correct one above it.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "What if I use assistive technology to complete forms?",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I use assistive technology to complete forms?\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I use assistive technology to complete forms?\u003c/h2>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Getting physical assistance with filling out your ballot from someone you trust is always fine, whether you’re voting at home or at a voting site. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Getting physical assistance with filling out your ballot from someone you trust is always fine, whether you’re voting at home or at a voting site. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You just need to make sure your signature is your own and matches the one you’re registered to vote with.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You just need to make sure your signature is your own and matches the one you’re registered to vote with.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062371\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tessa King drops off a ballot at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062371\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tessa King drops off a ballot at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Disabled voters can also choose to use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/remote-accessible-vote-mail\">Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail\u003c/a> system to vote privately and independently at home, using their usual assistive device on their home computer to fill out the ballot on their screen and then print and mail it.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Disabled voters can also choose to use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/remote-accessible-vote-mail\">Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail\u003c/a> system to vote privately and independently at home, using their usual assistive device on their home computer to fill out the ballot on their screen and then print and mail it.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Every voting location in California is also equipped with an accessible voting unit. Here, voters with blindness or low vision or who have a disability that limits their dexterity, will be able to use the assistive device of their choice that allows them to vote privately and independently.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Every voting location in California is also equipped with an accessible voting unit. Here, voters with blindness or low vision or who have a disability that limits their dexterity, will be able to use the assistive device of their choice that allows them to vote privately and independently.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "How can I make sure my mail-in ballot gets there on time? ",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I make sure my mail-in ballot gets there on time? \u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I make sure my mail-in ballot gets there on time? \u003c/h2>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Remember, one big reason that ballots get disqualified in elections is that voters mail them too late: either too late on Election Day itself (after U.S. Postal Service mailboxes have already been collected), or after Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Remember, one big reason that ballots get disqualified in elections is that voters mail them too late: either too late on Election Day itself (after U.S. Postal Service mailboxes have already been collected), or after Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To be counted in this election, your ballot must be postmarked on Election Day, Nov. 3, at the latest. Your ballot has seven days to reach your county elections office.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>To be counted in this election, your ballot must be postmarked on Election Day, Nov. 3, at the latest. Your ballot has seven days to reach your county elections office.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>So in this election, it’s as crucial as ever to make sure you have a plan for voting on time. And if you’re not voting in person, that means making sure you get your ballot into a secure voting drop box, or dropped off at a polling location or your county elections office, by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>So in this election, it’s as crucial as ever to make sure you have a plan for voting on time. And if you’re not voting in person, that means making sure you get your ballot into a secure voting drop box, or dropped off at a polling location or your county elections office, by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Read more about why \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">California election officials are urging voters to make sure their ballot arrives on time\u003c/a> – and why they say it’s too late at this stage to mail your ballot through USPS.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Read more about why \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">California election officials are urging voters to make sure their ballot arrives on time\u003c/a> – and why they say it’s too late at this stage to mail your ballot through USPS.\u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "A few other common ballot mistakes to watch out for …",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A few other common ballot mistakes to watch out for …\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A few other common ballot mistakes to watch out for …\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"level": 3,
"text": "Make sure you’re filling out and signing the ballot and envelope with your name on it:"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you’re filling out and signing the ballot and envelope with \u003cem>your\u003c/em> name on it: \u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you’re filling out and signing the ballot and envelope with \u003cem>your\u003c/em> name on it: \u003c/h3>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s common to see partners or roommates accidentally mix up their ballots. So make sure you’re signing the document that bears your name.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s common to see partners or roommates accidentally mix up their ballots. So make sure you’re signing the document that bears your name.\u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"level": 3,
"text": "Make sure you use a black or blue pen:"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you use a black or blue pen: \u003c/h3>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you use a black or blue pen: \u003c/h3>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It reads better, and it doesn’t slow workers down when they have to check to see what voter intent was. (Don’t use a felt-tip or a Sharpie that bleeds through the paper and marks other pages on your ballot.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It reads better, and it doesn’t slow workers down when they have to check to see what voter intent was. (Don’t use a felt-tip or a Sharpie that bleeds through the paper and marks other pages on your ballot.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084638\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tanya Yule looks over a voting guide at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 9, 2020.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Don’t mail an empty envelope:"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It does happen. Keeping your envelope and your ballot together in your home might be a helpful way of avoiding this problem. And of course, when you’re ready to mail your ballot, make sure it’s actually inside the envelope before you seal it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It does happen. Keeping your envelope and your ballot together in your home might be a helpful way of avoiding this problem. And of course, when you’re ready to mail your ballot, make sure it’s actually inside the envelope before you seal it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
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"text": "Don’t bother with a stamp:"
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"\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t bother with a stamp: \u003c/h3>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Your ballot envelope is postage-paid. You don’t need it.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Your ballot envelope is postage-paid. You don’t need it.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "My ballot is missing or hasn’t arrived. What should I do?",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My ballot is missing or hasn’t arrived. What should I do?\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My ballot is missing or hasn’t arrived. What should I do?\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Don’t panic: You have options. Here’s what to do.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Don’t panic: You have options. Here’s what to do.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Check that you’re actually registered to vote — and to the right address.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Check that you’re actually registered to vote — and to the right address.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status. This will show whether you’re actually registered to vote, and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status. This will show whether you’re actually registered to vote, and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095745\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter is given a sticker after dropping his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If your voter registration address was correct but your ballot never showed up, you still have options.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If your voter registration address was correct but your ballot never showed up, you still have options.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day, because it can’t be sure it’ll reach you in time. So if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter. You can also vote right there at the counter at the same time until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day, because it can’t be sure it’ll reach you in time. So if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter. You can also vote right there at the counter at the same time until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a>, also known as conditional voter registration, at a voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a>, also known as conditional voter registration, at a voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n"
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"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Contact your county directly",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact your county directly\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact your county directly\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n",
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"Alameda: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683",
"Contra Costa: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us",
"Marin: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to send a form email",
"Napa: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org",
"San Francisco: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org",
"San Mateo: Call 888- 762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org",
"Santa Clara: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org",
"Solano: Call 707-784-6675 or (888) 933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com",
"Sonoma: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888- 762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888- 762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n"
]
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or (888) 933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or (888) 933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n",
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"\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n"
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"excerpt": "From the signature on your envelope to what happens if you make a mistake on your ballot, here's how to correctly cast your vote in the 2026 California midterm elections.",
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"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tuesday is \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/electionsnews\">Election Day\u003c/a> in California, your last chance to vote in the state’s general election — and to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/\">cast your vote\u003c/a> for who should be the next governor.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But what if you’re unsure of how to fill that ballot out according to how you want to vote? Or what to do if you’ve made a mistake on it?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read on to learn how to fill out your ballot when it arrives, how important your signature is, and your options if you need to start again with a fresh ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump to: \u003ca href=\"#mistake\">I messed up my ballot, and I’m afraid my vote won’t count. What should I do? \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Remind me: What’s on my 2026 midterm elections ballot?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on which county you live in, your California ballot will present you with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">a mix of races\u003c/a> to vote on.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The races for statewide offices include:\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/governor\">Governor\u003c/a>: Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton face off in a race to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/insurance-commissioner\">Insurance commissioner\u003c/a>: Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis. Two Democrats, Ben Allen and Jane Kim, are running to become the insurance industry’s chief regulator.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12078808\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12078808\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/SteveHiltonAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steve Hilton speaks during the California gubernatorial candidate debate on Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (Laure Andrillon/AP Photo)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"12086476\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12086476\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Xavier-Becerra-Getty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Xavier Becerra, a candidate for governor, speaks to supporters on election night on June 2, 2026. (David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A number of statewide propositions, including:\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-1\">Prop. 1\u003c/a>: Should California issue $11.25 billion in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, homebuying opportunities and veterans and homelessness programs?\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-39\">Prop 39\u003c/a>: Should Californians be required to show ID for in-person and mail-in voting? \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide/california/proposition-40\">Prop 40: \u003c/a>Should California tax the wealth of billionaires to fund health care services?\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local measures and races \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These will depend on your Bay Area county or district. See \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">the KQED Voter Guide for more information\u003c/a> on what’s on your ballot this election season, with details of all those California props.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I return my ballot when I’ve completed it?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This close to Election Day, state officials — and USPS — stress that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">you shouldn’t be \u003cem>mailing\u003c/em> your ballot through the Postal Service\u003c/a>, because there’s a real risk it might be postmarked too late for it to be counted at this stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of submitting your ballot via a USPS collection box, you should now:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop off your ballot in a secure ballot drop box\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using one of these drop boxes means your ballot will be taken straight to your local county elections office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop off your ballot in an open voting location\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-november-3-2026\">The first vote centers opened \u003c/a>Oct. 24 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening Saturday, Oct. 31.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Submitting your ballot by hand this way is the top recommendation of Kim Alexander, president and founder of the non-partisan California Voter Foundation. You can fill out your ballot in person at a voting location and submit it directly there and then. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or, if you live in \u003ca href=\"https://calvoter.org/content/sign-scan-and-go\">one of the California counties\u003c/a> that has adopted the “Sign & Go” system — in the Bay Area, that’s Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and Napa — you can complete your ballot at your convenience at home, and then bring it to a participating vote center and sign the voter roster under penalty of perjury (just as you would for in-person voting) to submit it in person. And if you live in a county that has adopted “Sign, Scan & Go”, like San Mateo, you can do all of the above and then scan your ballot yourself to have your vote recorded immediately at the voting site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Really\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>\u003cem>have\u003c/em>\u003c/strong> \u003cstrong>to use the Postal Service this close to Election Day?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At this late stage, we’ll say it again\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">: You shouldn’t be using a USPS collection box\u003c/a> to mail your ballot. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you really have to use USPS for some reason instead of the methods above, Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office recommends you go inside an open Post Office location to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">“get a hand-stamped postmark\u003c/a> from a postal employee,” and then submit your postmarked ballot through USPS that way.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I \u003cem>have\u003c/em> to vote by mail?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail\">If you’re registered to vote, you’ll have received a mail-in ballot by default\u003c/a> for the 2026 midterms, without requesting it. But voting by mail is still just one option that’s open to you.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can still vote in person, either at an early voting location before Election Day or on Tuesday itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person puts a yellow ballot envelope in a ballot drop box.\" class=\"wp-image-12012711\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/20241102_EARLYVOTINGMARIN_GC-5-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter drops off their mail-in ballot at a drop box outside of Novato City Hall on Nov. 2, 2024. (Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I fix a mistake on my ballot?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s important to note that each county is slightly different in how they’d prefer you to address a mistake on your ballot, and will often provide specific details about corrections \u003cem>on\u003c/em> the ballot itself. If you have a specific question about your ballot that isn’t answered here, you can always contact your local registrar of voters for advice and instructions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I have problems with my signature?\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you’re done filling out your ballot, you must sign the envelope. But two big mistakes people make with their signatures are:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Forgetting to sign their ballot entirely.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Making a signature that doesn’t match the signature they made when they registered to vote.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why \u003cem>wouldn’t\u003c/em> your signature match the one on file? If you registered to vote at a young age, maybe your signature has changed over time. Or perhaps you registered to vote at the DMV and provided your signature on a screen with a stylus, which doesn’t quite replicate how you’d make your signature with a pen on paper.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12088632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/251104-SCCVOTE-JG-05_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Edgardo Domingo fills out a ballot at a voting booth at the Vietnamese American Cultural Center in San José on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you registered this way, one simple way to avoid any signature problems is to take a quick glance at the signature that’s on your driver’s license or state ID — because that’s the one you want your ballot signature to match.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if you didn’t register at the DMV, that signature on your most recent license or state ID is still very likely the one to emulate. That’s because when you register to vote online, your county elections office electronically requests a copy of the signature the DMV \u003cem>currently\u003c/em> has for you, and this information is regularly updated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To further set your mind at rest, know that California isn’t an “exact match” state, and doesn’t demand voters’ signatures 100% replicate the signature that’s on file.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I just don’t know my ‘correct’ signature I’m registered to vote with?\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> worried about the signature on your envelope not matching the signature you’re registered to vote with, there are two good solutions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One: \u003ca href=\"https://registertovote.ca.gov/\">Re-register to vote with your current signature\u003c/a>, to be sure that the state now has your most recent one on file, by completing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg/\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a> process, also known as “conditional voting,” at your county elections office or polling location. You’ll be handed your ballot to vote right there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2021, the California Voter Foundation’s Alexander told us there’s another solution if you’re worried about your signature: Go vote in person, if you’re able.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That’s because the signature goes only on your ballot’s \u003cem>envelope\u003c/em> — and if you’re voting in person, there’s no envelope, because that ballot then goes straight into the ballot box without needing that envelope at all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“So if you want that satisfaction of seeing your ballot drop in the box and know that it’s not going to get held up because of some signature issue, you can go and vote in person,” said Alexander.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I already mailed my ballot, but now I’m paranoid about my signature. What if I messed it up?\u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rest assured: There’s a whole system in place to help you correct your mistake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your county’s election office detects a signature mismatch on your ballot, they’ll reach out to you via mail to verify and work with you to correct it, so that your ballot can be counted after all. It’s called “curing” a ballot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This system is also applied when it looks like a member of a voter’s family might have signed their ballot, instead of the voter. This happens a \u003cem>surprising\u003c/em> amount when one household has several voters who all receive a ballot in the mail.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One way to get peace of mind: \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">Sign up to track your ballot\u003c/a>, and you’ll find out about any issues with your ballot or your signature quickly.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"mistake\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">I made a mistake on my ballot. How do I fix it?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, don’t panic. People make mistakes on ballots and find good ways to correct them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Counties give different directions to voters about what to do if they make a mistake (remember: Read the instructions!), but you can usually simply X out the choice you didn’t intend.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085889\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602_PRIMARY2026CD4_GC-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters cast their ballots at UC Davis in Davis on June 2, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The job of county elections officials — once they’ve verified your signature — is to make sure your ballot can be read correctly. If that means that your corrections on your ballot have resulted in readability issues, officials working in teams of two will actually remake it for you according to the intent you’ve signaled with your corrections.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some counties, like Alameda, ask that you actually contact them first if you make a serious mistake — including voting for the wrong candidate — so they can send you a replacement ballot. So, wherever you live, it’s a good idea to check with your local elections office first to see what \u003cem>they\u003c/em> recommend if you made a mistake.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And remember, there’s always this option …\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I just want a new ballot?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you’ve made a big mistake on your ballot — too big to fix — your best plan of action may be to focus on getting a new one. And that’s totally OK. You can:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Call your county elections office and ask them to cancel that ballot and issue a new one to you.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Go to your county elections office with your spoiled ballot during business hours and vote right there at the counter.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Take advantage of the early voting options available in many counties.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>Go to a voting site on Tuesday’s Election Day, turn in your spoiled ballot there and get a new ballot.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also do this if you’ve accidentally damaged your ballot in some way (coffee spills happen).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I think I put the wrong date on my envelope\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First off, that date should be the date you signed your envelope — not your date of birth. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But if you’re worried you messed up the date, don’t worry. Elections officials say that the date they’re \u003cem>really\u003c/em> looking for is the date that the ballot is postmarked, to make sure it was submitted on time.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12099795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/002_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_MailinBallot_10122020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A San Francisco official mail-in ballot for the Nov. 3, 2020 election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Election officials will only truly scrutinize the date you’ve written if they receive your ballot \u003cem>after\u003c/em> Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you haven’t mailed your envelope yet, it’s an easy fix: Just clearly cross out the incorrect date on the envelope and write in the correct one above it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I use assistive technology to complete forms?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting physical assistance with filling out your ballot from someone you trust is always fine, whether you’re voting at home or at a voting site. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You just need to make sure your signature is your own and matches the one you’re registered to vote with.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12062371\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/251030-BAYAREAVOTERS-32-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tessa King drops off a ballot at the City Hall Voting Center in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Disabled voters can also choose to use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/remote-accessible-vote-mail\">Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail\u003c/a> system to vote privately and independently at home, using their usual assistive device on their home computer to fill out the ballot on their screen and then print and mail it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every voting location in California is also equipped with an accessible voting unit. Here, voters with blindness or low vision or who have a disability that limits their dexterity, will be able to use the assistive device of their choice that allows them to vote privately and independently.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I make sure my mail-in ballot gets there on time? \u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remember, one big reason that ballots get disqualified in elections is that voters mail them too late: either too late on Election Day itself (after U.S. Postal Service mailboxes have already been collected), or after Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be counted in this election, your ballot must be postmarked on Election Day, Nov. 3, at the latest. Your ballot has seven days to reach your county elections office.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So in this election, it’s as crucial as ever to make sure you have a plan for voting on time. And if you’re not voting in person, that means making sure you get your ballot into a secure voting drop box, or dropped off at a polling location or your county elections office, by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more about why \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12103028/should-you-use-usps-to-mail-your-midterm-ballot-heres-what-california-election-officials-say\">California election officials are urging voters to make sure their ballot arrives on time\u003c/a> – and why they say it’s too late at this stage to mail your ballot through USPS.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A few other common ballot mistakes to watch out for …\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you’re filling out and signing the ballot and envelope with \u003cem>your\u003c/em> name on it: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s common to see partners or roommates accidentally mix up their ballots. So make sure you’re signing the document that bears your name.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make sure you use a black or blue pen: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It reads better, and it doesn’t slow workers down when they have to check to see what voter intent was. (Don’t use a felt-tip or a Sharpie that bleeds through the paper and marks other pages on your ballot.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12084638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/003_KQED_SanFrancisco_Election2020_TanyaYule_10092020_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tanya Yule looks over a voting guide at her home in San Francisco on Oct. 9, 2020. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t mail an empty envelope: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It does happen. Keeping your envelope and your ballot together in your home might be a helpful way of avoiding this problem. And of course, when you’re ready to mail your ballot, make sure it’s actually inside the envelope before you seal it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don’t bother with a stamp: \u003c/h3>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your ballot envelope is postage-paid. You don’t need it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My ballot is missing or hasn’t arrived. What should I do?\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t panic: You have options. Here’s what to do.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Check that you’re actually registered to vote — and to the right address.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/\">Input your details on the secretary of state’s voter status page\u003c/a> to check your registration status. This will show whether you’re actually registered to vote, and to which address. It should also show whether your ballot was mailed out.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also use \u003ca href=\"https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/\">the Where’s My Ballot? tool\u003c/a> to check whether your ballot has been sent.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"aligncenter size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12095745\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/08/251030-BayAreaVoters-06-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A voter is given a sticker after dropping his ballot at City Hall in San Francisco on Oct. 30, 2025, ahead of the statewide special election. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>If your voter registration address was correct but your ballot never showed up, you still have options.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your county elections office won’t mail you a ballot six days or less before Election Day, because it can’t be sure it’ll reach you in time. So if you’re trying to get a ballot in the immediate run-up to Election Day, go to your county elections office in person and request one at the counter. You can also vote right there at the counter at the same time until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And remember, if you’re \u003cem>not\u003c/em> actually registered to vote, you always have the option of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/same-day-reg\">same-day voter registration\u003c/a>, also known as conditional voter registration, at a voting location, where you can then fill out and submit your ballot, too.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contact your county directly\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://acvote.alamedacountyca.gov/index\">\u003cstrong>Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.contracostavote.gov/elections/\">\u003cstrong>Contra Costa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv\">\u003cstrong>Marin\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to \u003ca href=\"https://www.marincounty.org/depts/rv/contact-us\">send a form email\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.countyofnapa.org/396/Elections\">\u003cstrong>Napa\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sfelections.sfgov.org\">\u003cstrong>San Francisco\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcacre.org/elections\">\u003cstrong>San Mateo\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 888- 762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sccgov.org/sites/rov/Pages/Registrar-of-Voters.aspx\">\u003cstrong>Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683) or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/default.asp\">\u003cstrong>Solano\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>Call 707-784-6675 or (888) 933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CRA/Registrar-of-Voters/\">\u003cstrong>Sonoma\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The state also has a full list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices/\">every county elections office in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Listen to this and more in-depth storytelling by subscribing to The California Report Magazine podcast.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003ci> \u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.spookedpodcast.org/episodes/sea-legs-the-crossroads/\">\u003cstrong>History, Dancers and…Ghosts? North Beach’s Condor Club\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A former bartender at San Francisco’s Condor Club, the first topless bar in America, says the place is haunted. She describes a bottle of Hennessy that wouldn’t stay put, footsteps on empty stairs and a shadowy figure she’s sure was legendary dancer Carol Doda. “Spooked” podcast producer Zoë Ferrigno visits the North Beach club and digs into the history behind the stories, including a deadly accident that may not have been an accident at all.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12107037/one-of-the-bay-areas-only-desi-drag-collectives-serves-bollywood-glam-and-queer-joy\">One of Bay Area’s Only Desi Drag Collectives Serves Bollywood Glam and Queer Joy\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jason Sharma grew up mesmerized by Bollywood actresses but felt he couldn’t look or act like them. Raj Krishna did drag in secret in Singapore before moving to the U.S. Now they perform as Chai Auntea and Bindi Masala as a part of Masala Mahal, one of the only Desi drag collectives in the country. KQED’s Srishti Prabha follows them from a rehearsal in Oakland to a South Asian pride party in San Francisco, and delves into their response to feeling cast aside by both their own culture and mainstream drag.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"soldout": {
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