California voters: the state primary elections are here. And if you’re registered to vote, your ballot will be on its way in the next few days — ahead of Election Day itself on June 2.
Wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot in the Bay Area? Or where can you vote in person, and find a polling place near you? What about if you prefer to vote on Election Day itself?
Keep reading for everything you need to know about submitting your vote in the California primary elections.
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If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot (before you mail it) — and find out how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person if you really messed up.
Yes, you can mail your completed ballot via the U.S. Postal Service at any regular collection box. The envelope is postage paid, so it doesn’t require a stamp, and it’ll be counted as long as it’s postmarked by Election Day and arrives at your county registrar’s office by June 2.
If you’re planning to mail your ballot on Election Day itself, be very sure you don’t miss the last collection time for that specific mailbox (which at many locations is 5 p.m. or earlier).
You also shouldn’t drop off your ballot on Election Day at a post office that’s already closed. Doing either of these things will mean your ballot will not be postmarked on Election Day and won’t be counted when it reaches your county’s election office.
Once you complete your mail-in ballot, you can drop it off at an official drop box or voting location instead of mailing it via a U.S. Postal Service collection box. These drop boxes will open by May 5.
A few reasons you might prefer to hand-deliver your completed ballot:
Regardless of how you deliver it, you can sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.
On Election Day, 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. Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.
Check your mail-in ballot to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place.
If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties:
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.
But even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at your county registrar’s office.
If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties:
You can vote at any voting location — known as Vote Centers — including your county registrar’s office.
You can find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool.
Do I need to bring my ballot with me?
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.
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.
The official deadline to register online to vote is Monday, May 18.
Remember, if you’ve changed your name or the political party choice you previously registered to vote with, or you’ve moved address, you’ll need to reregister.
But if you miss the deadline to register, don’t panic: After May 18, you can still complete the same-day voter registration process (also known as “conditional voting”) and request your ballot in person at your county elections office or polling location.
This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.
Secure drop boxes open by May 5, and the first vote centers open May 23 in certain counties, with more early voting locations opening May 30.
Visit the state of California lookup tool, where you can:
Remember that in-person voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.
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:
The state also has a full list of every county elections office in California.
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