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The analysis also found that thousands of U.S. citizens appear to be flagged as ineligible to vote on the government’s list.\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/10/2026/06/251104-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 Nov. 4, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contention was made in a filing by two data analysts at the University of California, Los Angeles. They analyzed the 20,930 names that the department demanded that California election officials treat as possible illegal voters by separating their ballots during the vote count on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-49cee0f4184b0ecb573f9f0274350642\">Multiple judges\u003c/a> have rejected the demand as unconstitutional and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-481bed64919ad193e80e051d28beb2c0\">a threat to democracy\u003c/a>, and local and state officials have said the list appears riddled with errors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Court filing outlines problems with government list\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The breadth of the problems with the list was outlined in Saturday’s filing. It describes an analysis by two members of UCLA’s Voting Rights Project, who filed a lawsuit challenging it with the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research found that 8,880 of the names, representing 42% of the entire list, do not correspond to anyone in California’s current voter file. It also found at least 22 are U.S. citizens, and many more may correspond to those of confirmed citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The expert analysis further makes clear that the mandated voter list endangers a significant number of eligible California voter,” said the filing, which was cosigned by \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the Democratic candidate for California governor and an adviser to the UCLA Voting Rights Project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration had objected to sharing the list, calling it a “fishing expedition” and noting that it included sensitive information. On Saturday, the federal prosecutor who spearheaded the Trump case in California called the analysis “bogus.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is a bogus report by the activist illegal immigrant rights group CHIRLA,” Bill Essayli, who runs the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles, posted on X.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also on Saturday, President Donald Trump bemoaned the legal rulings against his effort to force California to separate votes from the individuals his administration labels suspected noncitizens, even though one came from a judge he himself nominated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a social media post, Trump claimed his Justice Department found “20,000, but potentially Hundreds of Thousands, and maybe even Millions,” of fraudulent votes, “and the Court has just ruled against it. Why would they reject fixing Election Fraud?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration has also \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/washington-noncitizen-voting-63c17a3eadc9ed232fbd897afbd29b9d\">urged Washington state to remove\u003c/a> what it says were 400 possible noncitizens on its rolls, though state election officials there say that list is also unreliable and includes one voter who cast ballots in the 1990s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department has warned California election officials they could face criminal liability if they let noncitizens vote and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-20714065e59fe13db0e53c711a3ca390\">issued subpoenas\u003c/a> of election offices there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Election officials say they have no time to investigate\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Election officials have complained that the Trump administration has confronted them with lists of possible illegal voters at the last minute before Election Day, with no time to conduct the painstaking investigation required by law before removing someone from the rolls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multiple lawsuits have been filed to stop the administration from continuing to threaten local election officials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Friday, a federal judge in California \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-49cee0f4184b0ecb573f9f0274350642\">ordered the Justice Department\u003c/a> to stop sending demands to state officials, a decision the Trump administration appealed Saturday. Several counties in the state had run quick checks of the Trump list and found numerous errors.\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-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085815\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters cast their ballots at the Parks Chapel AME Church in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday’s broader analysis was possible because a federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to share the list with the plaintiffs in the case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CHIRLA and the UCLA project sued the Homeland Security Department in early October to prevent it from using federal immigration data to challenge state voter rolls. The lawsuit \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971\">cited examples in other states\u003c/a> where the federal government’s data has been proven \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-elections-noncitizens-voting-save-lawsuit-a9612cfffa40c938e67b99f265c9e817\">to mistakenly include\u003c/a> thousands of citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case argues that government’s methods pose risk to voting\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case argued that the data-matching methods risk disenfranchising or deterring citizens from voting. On top of that, plaintiffs argued, the lists could disproportionately target naturalized citizens who are legally entitled to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applying the government’s methodology, the UCLA researchers found that nearly 7,500 naturalized citizens in the state were “highly likely” to be incorrectly flagged as ineligible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The researchers noted that the administration apparently removed the voter identification number from the names, making it harder for election officials to determine whether the flagged individuals were already on their rolls or were duplicates in the Justice Department list. They described the voter ID number as the most crucial data point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department argues that there is just as much to lose if the ballots aren’t separated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Every ballot cast by an ineligible voter cancels out the vote of an American citizen,” Kiersten V. Pels, a spokesperson for the department, wrote in an email. “The Department makes no apology for protecting those votes.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The contention was made in a filing by two data analysts at the University of California, Los Angeles. They analyzed the 20,930 names that the department demanded that California election officials treat as possible illegal voters by separating their ballots during the vote count on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The contention was made in a filing by two data analysts at the University of California, Los Angeles. They analyzed the 20,930 names that the department demanded that California election officials treat as possible illegal voters by separating their ballots during the vote count on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-49cee0f4184b0ecb573f9f0274350642\">Multiple judges\u003c/a> have rejected the demand as unconstitutional and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-481bed64919ad193e80e051d28beb2c0\">a threat to democracy\u003c/a>, and local and state officials have said the list appears riddled with errors.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The breadth of the problems with the list was outlined in Saturday’s filing. It describes an analysis by two members of UCLA’s Voting Rights Project, who filed a lawsuit challenging it with the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The breadth of the problems with the list was outlined in Saturday’s filing. It describes an analysis by two members of UCLA’s Voting Rights Project, who filed a lawsuit challenging it with the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The research found that 8,880 of the names, representing 42% of the entire list, do not correspond to anyone in California’s current voter file. It also found at least 22 are U.S. citizens, and many more may correspond to those of confirmed citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The research found that 8,880 of the names, representing 42% of the entire list, do not correspond to anyone in California’s current voter file. It also found at least 22 are U.S. citizens, and many more may correspond to those of confirmed citizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“The expert analysis further makes clear that the mandated voter list endangers a significant number of eligible California voter,” said the filing, which was cosigned by \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the Democratic candidate for California governor and an adviser to the UCLA Voting Rights Project.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Trump administration had objected to sharing the list, calling it a “fishing expedition” and noting that it included sensitive information. On Saturday, the federal prosecutor who spearheaded the Trump case in California called the analysis “bogus.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is a bogus report by the activist illegal immigrant rights group CHIRLA,” Bill Essayli, who runs the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles, posted on X.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is a bogus report by the activist illegal immigrant rights group CHIRLA,” Bill Essayli, who runs the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles, posted on X.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Also on Saturday, President Donald Trump bemoaned the legal rulings against his effort to force California to separate votes from the individuals his administration labels suspected noncitizens, even though one came from a judge he himself nominated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Also on Saturday, President Donald Trump bemoaned the legal rulings against his effort to force California to separate votes from the individuals his administration labels suspected noncitizens, even though one came from a judge he himself nominated.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In a social media post, Trump claimed his Justice Department found “20,000, but potentially Hundreds of Thousands, and maybe even Millions,” of fraudulent votes, “and the Court has just ruled against it. Why would they reject fixing Election Fraud?”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In a social media post, Trump claimed his Justice Department found “20,000, but potentially Hundreds of Thousands, and maybe even Millions,” of fraudulent votes, “and the Court has just ruled against it. Why would they reject fixing Election Fraud?”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Trump administration has also \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/washington-noncitizen-voting-63c17a3eadc9ed232fbd897afbd29b9d\">urged Washington state to remove\u003c/a> what it says were 400 possible noncitizens on its rolls, though state election officials there say that list is also unreliable and includes one voter who cast ballots in the 1990s.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Trump administration has also \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/washington-noncitizen-voting-63c17a3eadc9ed232fbd897afbd29b9d\">urged Washington state to remove\u003c/a> what it says were 400 possible noncitizens on its rolls, though state election officials there say that list is also unreliable and includes one voter who cast ballots in the 1990s.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department has warned California election officials they could face criminal liability if they let noncitizens vote and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-20714065e59fe13db0e53c711a3ca390\">issued subpoenas\u003c/a> of election offices there.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Justice Department has warned California election officials they could face criminal liability if they let noncitizens vote and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-20714065e59fe13db0e53c711a3ca390\">issued subpoenas\u003c/a> of election offices there.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Election officials have complained that the Trump administration has confronted them with lists of possible illegal voters at the last minute before Election Day, with no time to conduct the painstaking investigation required by law before removing someone from the rolls.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Election officials have complained that the Trump administration has confronted them with lists of possible illegal voters at the last minute before Election Day, with no time to conduct the painstaking investigation required by law before removing someone from the rolls.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Multiple lawsuits have been filed to stop the administration from continuing to threaten local election officials.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Friday, a federal judge in California \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-49cee0f4184b0ecb573f9f0274350642\">ordered the Justice Department\u003c/a> to stop sending demands to state officials, a decision the Trump administration appealed Saturday. Several counties in the state had run quick checks of the Trump list and found numerous errors.\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-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085815\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-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 the Parks Chapel AME Church in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Saturday’s broader analysis was possible because a federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to share the list with the plaintiffs in the case.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>CHIRLA and the UCLA project sued the Homeland Security Department in early October to prevent it from using federal immigration data to challenge state voter rolls. The lawsuit \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971\">cited examples in other states\u003c/a> where the federal government’s data has been proven \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-elections-noncitizens-voting-save-lawsuit-a9612cfffa40c938e67b99f265c9e817\">to mistakenly include\u003c/a> thousands of citizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>CHIRLA and the UCLA project sued the Homeland Security Department in early October to prevent it from using federal immigration data to challenge state voter rolls. The lawsuit \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971\">cited examples in other states\u003c/a> where the federal government’s data has been proven \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-elections-noncitizens-voting-save-lawsuit-a9612cfffa40c938e67b99f265c9e817\">to mistakenly include\u003c/a> thousands of citizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Case argues that government’s methods pose risk to voting",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The case argued that the data-matching methods risk disenfranchising or deterring citizens from voting. On top of that, plaintiffs argued, the lists could disproportionately target naturalized citizens who are legally entitled to vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Applying the government’s methodology, the UCLA researchers found that nearly 7,500 naturalized citizens in the state were “highly likely” to be incorrectly flagged as ineligible.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The researchers noted that the administration apparently removed the voter identification number from the names, making it harder for election officials to determine whether the flagged individuals were already on their rolls or were duplicates in the Justice Department list. They described the voter ID number as the most crucial data point.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The researchers noted that the administration apparently removed the voter identification number from the names, making it harder for election officials to determine whether the flagged individuals were already on their rolls or were duplicates in the Justice Department list. They described the voter ID number as the most crucial data point.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Justice Department argues that there is just as much to lose if the ballots aren’t separated.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Every ballot cast by an ineligible voter cancels out the vote of an American citizen,” Kiersten V. Pels, a spokesperson for the department, wrote in an email. “The Department makes no apology for protecting those votes.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Every ballot cast by an ineligible voter cancels out the vote of an American citizen,” Kiersten V. Pels, a spokesperson for the department, wrote in an email. “The Department makes no apology for protecting those votes.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "More than 4 in 10 names flagged as possible noncitizen voters in California by the Trump administration can’t even be found on the state’s voter rolls. ",
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"title": "Over 40% of Names on DOJ List of Alleged Noncitizens Are Not on California Voter Rolls, Analysis Finds | KQED",
"description": "More than 4 in 10 names flagged as possible noncitizen voters in California by the Trump administration can’t even be found on the state’s voter rolls. ",
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"headline": "Over 40% of Names on DOJ List of Alleged Noncitizens Are Not on California Voter Rolls, Analysis Finds",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More than 4 in 10 names flagged as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12106418/santa-clara-county-rejects-trump-administration-voter-probe\">possible noncitizen voters\u003c/a> in California by the Trump administration cannot be found on the state’s voter rolls, according to a legal filing Saturday by an immigrant rights group.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s the first outside analysis of a list that the \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-justice\">Department of Justice\u003c/a> has used to threaten prosecution of election officials. The analysis also found that thousands of U.S. citizens appear to be flagged as ineligible to vote on the government’s list.\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/10/2026/06/251104-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 Nov. 4, 2025. (Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The contention was made in a filing by two data analysts at the University of California, Los Angeles. They analyzed the 20,930 names that the department demanded that California election officials treat as possible illegal voters by separating their ballots during the vote count on Election Day.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-49cee0f4184b0ecb573f9f0274350642\">Multiple judges\u003c/a> have rejected the demand as unconstitutional and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-481bed64919ad193e80e051d28beb2c0\">a threat to democracy\u003c/a>, and local and state officials have said the list appears riddled with errors.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Court filing outlines problems with government list\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The breadth of the problems with the list was outlined in Saturday’s filing. It describes an analysis by two members of UCLA’s Voting Rights Project, who filed a lawsuit challenging it with the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research found that 8,880 of the names, representing 42% of the entire list, do not correspond to anyone in California’s current voter file. It also found at least 22 are U.S. citizens, and many more may correspond to those of confirmed citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“The expert analysis further makes clear that the mandated voter list endangers a significant number of eligible California voter,” said the filing, which was cosigned by \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/xavier-becerra\">Xavier Becerra\u003c/a>, the Democratic candidate for California governor and an adviser to the UCLA Voting Rights Project.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration had objected to sharing the list, calling it a “fishing expedition” and noting that it included sensitive information. On Saturday, the federal prosecutor who spearheaded the Trump case in California called the analysis “bogus.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“This is a bogus report by the activist illegal immigrant rights group CHIRLA,” Bill Essayli, who runs the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles, posted on X.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also on Saturday, President Donald Trump bemoaned the legal rulings against his effort to force California to separate votes from the individuals his administration labels suspected noncitizens, even though one came from a judge he himself nominated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a social media post, Trump claimed his Justice Department found “20,000, but potentially Hundreds of Thousands, and maybe even Millions,” of fraudulent votes, “and the Court has just ruled against it. Why would they reject fixing Election Fraud?”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration has also \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/washington-noncitizen-voting-63c17a3eadc9ed232fbd897afbd29b9d\">urged Washington state to remove\u003c/a> what it says were 400 possible noncitizens on its rolls, though state election officials there say that list is also unreliable and includes one voter who cast ballots in the 1990s.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department has warned California election officials they could face criminal liability if they let noncitizens vote and \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-20714065e59fe13db0e53c711a3ca390\">issued subpoenas\u003c/a> of election offices there.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Election officials say they have no time to investigate\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Election officials have complained that the Trump administration has confronted them with lists of possible illegal voters at the last minute before Election Day, with no time to conduct the painstaking investigation required by law before removing someone from the rolls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Multiple lawsuits have been filed to stop the administration from continuing to threaten local election officials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Friday, a federal judge in California \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/california-noncitizen-voting-trump-midterm-lawsuit-49cee0f4184b0ecb573f9f0274350642\">ordered the Justice Department\u003c/a> to stop sending demands to state officials, a decision the Trump administration appealed Saturday. Several counties in the state had run quick checks of the Trump list and found numerous errors.\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-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12085815\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260602-PRIMARYVOTERVOX-JY-08-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Voters cast their ballots at the Parks Chapel AME Church in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. (Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Saturday’s broader analysis was possible because a federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to share the list with the plaintiffs in the case.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CHIRLA and the UCLA project sued the Homeland Security Department in early October to prevent it from using federal immigration data to challenge state voter rolls. The lawsuit \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971\">cited examples in other states\u003c/a> where the federal government’s data has been proven \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-elections-noncitizens-voting-save-lawsuit-a9612cfffa40c938e67b99f265c9e817\">to mistakenly include\u003c/a> thousands of citizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case argues that government’s methods pose risk to voting\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case argued that the data-matching methods risk disenfranchising or deterring citizens from voting. On top of that, plaintiffs argued, the lists could disproportionately target naturalized citizens who are legally entitled to vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applying the government’s methodology, the UCLA researchers found that nearly 7,500 naturalized citizens in the state were “highly likely” to be incorrectly flagged as ineligible.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The researchers noted that the administration apparently removed the voter identification number from the names, making it harder for election officials to determine whether the flagged individuals were already on their rolls or were duplicates in the Justice Department list. They described the voter ID number as the most crucial data point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department argues that there is just as much to lose if the ballots aren’t separated.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Every ballot cast by an ineligible voter cancels out the vote of an American citizen,” Kiersten V. Pels, a spokesperson for the department, wrote in an email. “The Department makes no apology for protecting those votes.”\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?",
"publishDate": 1793451600,
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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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"\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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"\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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"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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"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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"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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"\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\"/>\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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"\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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"\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\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg 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=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dairy cows stand in a feeding pen at 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>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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"\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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"\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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"\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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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Xavier Becerra is poised to become California’s next governor. The former Health and Human Services Secretary emerged victorious from a messy primary that pitted him against a long list of fellow Democrats. He was stuck in single digits but surged after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since June, Becerra has had an easy sprint to the Nov. 3 election, with recent polls showing him at least 25 points ahead of his opponent, Republican Steve Hilton.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Becerra joins Marisa and Scott in studio to discuss his plan for the state if he is elected next week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t forget to use \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">KQED’s voter guide\u003c/a> when filling out your ballot!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plus, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Xavier Becerra is poised to become California’s next governor. The former Health and Human Services Secretary emerged victorious from a messy primary that pitted him against a long list of fellow Democrats. He was stuck in single digits but surged after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Xavier Becerra is poised to become California’s next governor. The former Health and Human Services Secretary emerged victorious from a messy primary that pitted him against a long list of fellow Democrats. He was stuck in single digits but surged after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Don’t forget to use \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">KQED’s voter guide\u003c/a> when filling out your ballot!\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Don’t forget to use \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">KQED’s voter guide\u003c/a> when filling out your ballot!\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Plus, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Plus, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Democrat Xavier Becerra walks through his day one priorities if elected governor. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Xavier Becerra is poised to become California’s next governor. The former Health and Human Services Secretary emerged victorious from a messy primary that pitted him against a long list of fellow Democrats. He was stuck in single digits but surged after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since June, Becerra has had an easy sprint to the Nov. 3 election, with recent polls showing him at least 25 points ahead of his opponent, Republican Steve Hilton.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Becerra joins Marisa and Scott in studio to discuss his plan for the state if he is elected next week.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t forget to use \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">KQED’s voter guide\u003c/a> when filling out your ballot!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plus, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\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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"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>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",
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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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"\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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"\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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"\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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"\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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"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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"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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"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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"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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"\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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"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>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",
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"\n\u003cp>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"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>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",
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"\n\u003cp>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"
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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",
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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",
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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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"\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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"\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",
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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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"slug": "how-latino-voters-are-deciding-this-southern-california-swing-district",
"title": "How Latino Voters Are Deciding This Southern California Swing District",
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"headTitle": "How Latino Voters Are Deciding This Southern California Swing District | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, October 30, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Latino voters helped President Donald Trump return to office. Now, politicos are looking to California’s 58th Assembly District in Riverside to see if they’ll flip again. The district is traditionally democratic and heavily Latino. But in 2024, they swung for Trump … and Republican Leticia Castillo won the state assembly seat … by riding in on his coat tails.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state is ready for any attempts to intimidate or interfere with voters and poll workers.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/29/nx-s1-6022560/doj-subpoenas-california-election\">Trump DOJ Issues Subpoenas to California Election Workers\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The federal government is suing California, alleging there are thousands of noncitizens on the voter rolls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s ramping up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105068/judge-blocks-dhs-from-sending-armed-agents-to-question-voters-in-search-for-noncitizens\">its scrutiny\u003c/a> into California’s election process by issuing subpoenas for state and local election officials to investigate their role in processing illegal ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Los Angeles County elections division confirmed that at least two of its employees received two grand jury subpoenas last week, with instructions to appear in court on Nov. 4.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tricia Webber is Santa Cruz county’s Registrar of Voters and heads the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It seems that the federal government does not believe that we are doing our duties on the oath that we swore to do. It’s confusing as to the timing of it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/28/nx-s1-6021478/doj-california-ballots-denied\">federal judge denied the Trump administration’s request\u003c/a> to require California election officials to set aside and stop processing the ballots of thousands of California voters who appear on a list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/20/nx-s1-6009873/california-doj-voter-rolls-noncitizens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20,000 names\u003c/a> federal officials say are “likely” noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Latino Voters in California’s 58th Assembly District Reckon With MAGA\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrat Clarissa Cervantes is campaigning again for the Assembly District seat that goes from Riverside to Corona. And once again, she’s up against Republican Leticia Castillo who won by about 600 votes in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes positions herself as the anti-MAGA candidate she took on Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The self-professed MAGA sheriff seized hundreds of thousands of ballots after the Prop. 50 election. Bianco claimed there was voter fraud.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In March, Cervantes and two other lawmakers sued Bianco and on the stump, she talks about the lawsuit a lot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When we went before the California Supreme Court I was getting messages: Were you scared? Are you nervous,” said Cervantes alongside gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes and the lawmakers won their lawsuit and a court ordered Bianco to return the ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I said, “No, I’m not afraid of people who want to undermine democracy,” said Cervantes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes is 37-years-old and has been on the Riverside City Council for five years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She’s running to represent a district that’s about 60% Latino, and one that’s been hit hard by ICE raids.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes strategy: attack Castillo who is a strong Trump supporter and tie her to the affordability issue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“One of the biggest things that we’re hearing is the cost of these wars that are taking place. The cost of investing over a billion dollars into ICE. these are all on taxpayer dollars.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mike Madrid is a longtime Republican strategist and an anti-trumper. He focuses on the Latino vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Madrid thinks tying Castillo to the unpopular president is the right political move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Look, she’s a Trumper, and that’s what matters in this moment. Nobody cares about anything else. That’s why Cervantes is running the race that she is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Madrid says if Cervantes is elected it’d be a mistake to continue focusing on Trump and immigration in Sacramento. He says like most Americans, Latino voters are focused on the economy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When no party has any solutions, they’re going to resort to these old caricatures of what is driving Latinos, which in this case is immigration.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Madrid says if Cervantes doesn’t come up with economic solutions that speak to Latinos that vote will swing again. He says Latinos are “de-aligned” from both parties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“and by dealignment, what I mean is extraordinary loss of confidence and trust in both parties,” said Madrid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Castillo appears to understand that. In recent weeks, her political ads have been promoting policies to bring down the cost of living. One idea: eliminate the state’s gas tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Madrid says that strategy comes a little too late.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Jurupa Valley, a city that borders Riverside, Chuy Garcia sits behind the cash register at the neighborhood market on a recent Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Garcia has owned the store for 25 years and calls himself a “common sense” Republican.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Garcia isn’t paying attention to the race because he doesn’t see the point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Everybody just wants to say what you want to hear to get votes,” said Garcia. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He’s concerned about the ICE raids and the effect it’s had on his neighborhood and business. He mentions his parents came here illegally.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Garcia also blames the Democrats for the state’s high taxes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I don’t understand why they can’t see what is bad for business.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Garcia also votes on cultural issues, especially when it comes to transgender girls in sports\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Castillo is trying to appeal to that segment of the electorate, mostly Latino men. She declined multiple requests for an interview but here she is on the conservative podcast “Latino Free Minds” on October 19:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Talking to a lot of people, they’ll say ‘you’re anti’. No. I’m about family values, protecting the kids, those types of things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Castillo’s campaign slogan: faith, family and freedom. And she’s been hitting hard on Cervantes’ past DUIs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But an October surprise could scramble her campaign strategy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The California Post published a story reporting that in the past, Castillo operated an Adult website. Castillo told the Post she takes responsibility for the activity but has since found God.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. \u003c/li>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state is ready for any attempts to intimidate or interfere with voters and poll workers.\u003c/li>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "Trump DOJ Issues Subpoenas to California Election Workers",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/29/nx-s1-6022560/doj-subpoenas-california-election\">Trump DOJ Issues Subpoenas to California Election Workers\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/29/nx-s1-6022560/doj-subpoenas-california-election\">Trump DOJ Issues Subpoenas to California Election Workers\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The federal government is suing California, alleging there are thousands of noncitizens on the voter rolls.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s ramping up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105068/judge-blocks-dhs-from-sending-armed-agents-to-question-voters-in-search-for-noncitizens\">its scrutiny\u003c/a> into California’s election process by issuing subpoenas for state and local election officials to investigate their role in processing illegal ballots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>It’s ramping up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105068/judge-blocks-dhs-from-sending-armed-agents-to-question-voters-in-search-for-noncitizens\">its scrutiny\u003c/a> into California’s election process by issuing subpoenas for state and local election officials to investigate their role in processing illegal ballots.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Los Angeles County elections division confirmed that at least two of its employees received two grand jury subpoenas last week, with instructions to appear in court on Nov. 4.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The Los Angeles County elections division confirmed that at least two of its employees received two grand jury subpoenas last week, with instructions to appear in court on Nov. 4.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tricia Webber is Santa Cruz county’s Registrar of Voters and heads the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tricia Webber is Santa Cruz county’s Registrar of Voters and heads the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It seems that the federal government does not believe that we are doing our duties on the oath that we swore to do. It’s confusing as to the timing of it.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It seems that the federal government does not believe that we are doing our duties on the oath that we swore to do. It’s confusing as to the timing of it.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/28/nx-s1-6021478/doj-california-ballots-denied\">federal judge denied the Trump administration’s request\u003c/a> to require California election officials to set aside and stop processing the ballots of thousands of California voters who appear on a list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/20/nx-s1-6009873/california-doj-voter-rolls-noncitizens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20,000 names\u003c/a> federal officials say are “likely” noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/28/nx-s1-6021478/doj-california-ballots-denied\">federal judge denied the Trump administration’s request\u003c/a> to require California election officials to set aside and stop processing the ballots of thousands of California voters who appear on a list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/20/nx-s1-6009873/california-doj-voter-rolls-noncitizens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20,000 names\u003c/a> federal officials say are “likely” noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "Latino Voters in California’s 58th Assembly District Reckon With MAGA",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Democrat Clarissa Cervantes is campaigning again for the Assembly District seat that goes from Riverside to Corona. And once again, she’s up against Republican Leticia Castillo who won by about 600 votes in 2024.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Democrat Clarissa Cervantes is campaigning again for the Assembly District seat that goes from Riverside to Corona. And once again, she’s up against Republican Leticia Castillo who won by about 600 votes in 2024.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cervantes positions herself as the anti-MAGA candidate she took on Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The self-professed MAGA sheriff seized hundreds of thousands of ballots after the Prop. 50 election. Bianco claimed there was voter fraud.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cervantes positions herself as the anti-MAGA candidate she took on Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The self-professed MAGA sheriff seized hundreds of thousands of ballots after the Prop. 50 election. Bianco claimed there was voter fraud.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In March, Cervantes and two other lawmakers sued Bianco and on the stump, she talks about the lawsuit a lot.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When we went before the California Supreme Court I was getting messages: Were you scared? Are you nervous,” said Cervantes alongside gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When we went before the California Supreme Court I was getting messages: Were you scared? Are you nervous,” said Cervantes alongside gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cervantes and the lawmakers won their lawsuit and a court ordered Bianco to return the ballots.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I said, “No, I’m not afraid of people who want to undermine democracy,” said Cervantes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I said, “No, I’m not afraid of people who want to undermine democracy,” said Cervantes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cervantes is 37-years-old and has been on the Riverside City Council for five years.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She’s running to represent a district that’s about 60% Latino, and one that’s been hit hard by ICE raids.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Cervantes strategy: attack Castillo who is a strong Trump supporter and tie her to the affordability issue.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Cervantes strategy: attack Castillo who is a strong Trump supporter and tie her to the affordability issue.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“One of the biggest things that we’re hearing is the cost of these wars that are taking place. The cost of investing over a billion dollars into ICE. these are all on taxpayer dollars.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“One of the biggest things that we’re hearing is the cost of these wars that are taking place. The cost of investing over a billion dollars into ICE. these are all on taxpayer dollars.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Mike Madrid is a longtime Republican strategist and an anti-trumper. He focuses on the Latino vote.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Madrid thinks tying Castillo to the unpopular president is the right political move.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Madrid thinks tying Castillo to the unpopular president is the right political move.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Look, she’s a Trumper, and that’s what matters in this moment. Nobody cares about anything else. That’s why Cervantes is running the race that she is.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Look, she’s a Trumper, and that’s what matters in this moment. Nobody cares about anything else. That’s why Cervantes is running the race that she is.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Madrid says if Cervantes is elected it’d be a mistake to continue focusing on Trump and immigration in Sacramento. He says like most Americans, Latino voters are focused on the economy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But Madrid says if Cervantes is elected it’d be a mistake to continue focusing on Trump and immigration in Sacramento. He says like most Americans, Latino voters are focused on the economy.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“When no party has any solutions, they’re going to resort to these old caricatures of what is driving Latinos, which in this case is immigration.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“When no party has any solutions, they’re going to resort to these old caricatures of what is driving Latinos, which in this case is immigration.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Madrid says if Cervantes doesn’t come up with economic solutions that speak to Latinos that vote will swing again. He says Latinos are “de-aligned” from both parties.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Madrid says if Cervantes doesn’t come up with economic solutions that speak to Latinos that vote will swing again. He says Latinos are “de-aligned” from both parties.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“and by dealignment, what I mean is extraordinary loss of confidence and trust in both parties,” said Madrid. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“and by dealignment, what I mean is extraordinary loss of confidence and trust in both parties,” said Madrid. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Castillo appears to understand that. In recent weeks, her political ads have been promoting policies to bring down the cost of living. One idea: eliminate the state’s gas tax.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Castillo appears to understand that. In recent weeks, her political ads have been promoting policies to bring down the cost of living. One idea: eliminate the state’s gas tax.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Madrid says that strategy comes a little too late.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In Jurupa Valley, a city that borders Riverside, Chuy Garcia sits behind the cash register at the neighborhood market on a recent Thursday.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In Jurupa Valley, a city that borders Riverside, Chuy Garcia sits behind the cash register at the neighborhood market on a recent Thursday.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Garcia has owned the store for 25 years and calls himself a “common sense” Republican.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Garcia has owned the store for 25 years and calls himself a “common sense” Republican.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Garcia isn’t paying attention to the race because he doesn’t see the point.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Everybody just wants to say what you want to hear to get votes,” said Garcia. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Everybody just wants to say what you want to hear to get votes,” said Garcia. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>He’s concerned about the ICE raids and the effect it’s had on his neighborhood and business. He mentions his parents came here illegally.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But Garcia also blames the Democrats for the state’s high taxes.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I don’t understand why they can’t see what is bad for business.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Garcia also votes on cultural issues, especially when it comes to transgender girls in sports\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Castillo is trying to appeal to that segment of the electorate, mostly Latino men. She declined multiple requests for an interview but here she is on the conservative podcast “Latino Free Minds” on October 19:\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Castillo is trying to appeal to that segment of the electorate, mostly Latino men. She declined multiple requests for an interview but here she is on the conservative podcast “Latino Free Minds” on October 19:\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Talking to a lot of people, they’ll say ‘you’re anti’. No. I’m about family values, protecting the kids, those types of things.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Castillo’s campaign slogan: faith, family and freedom. And she’s been hitting hard on Cervantes’ past DUIs.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But an October surprise could scramble her campaign strategy.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The California Post published a story reporting that in the past, Castillo operated an Adult website. Castillo told the Post she takes responsibility for the activity but has since found God.\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Latino voters in California’s 58th Assembly District swung for Trump in 2024. Now, they might flip again.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003cstrong>Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, October 30, 2026\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\u003cli>Latino voters helped President Donald Trump return to office. Now, politicos are looking to California’s 58th Assembly District in Riverside to see if they’ll flip again. The district is traditionally democratic and heavily Latino. But in 2024, they swung for Trump … and Republican Leticia Castillo won the state assembly seat … by riding in on his coat tails.\u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. \u003c/li>\n\n\n\n\u003cli>California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state is ready for any attempts to intimidate or interfere with voters and poll workers.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/29/nx-s1-6022560/doj-subpoenas-california-election\">Trump DOJ Issues Subpoenas to California Election Workers\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Trump administration is following through on its threat to criminally investigate California election officials over alleged noncitizen voting. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The federal government is suing California, alleging there are thousands of noncitizens on the voter rolls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It’s ramping up \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12105068/judge-blocks-dhs-from-sending-armed-agents-to-question-voters-in-search-for-noncitizens\">its scrutiny\u003c/a> into California’s election process by issuing subpoenas for state and local election officials to investigate their role in processing illegal ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Los Angeles County elections division confirmed that at least two of its employees received two grand jury subpoenas last week, with instructions to appear in court on Nov. 4.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tricia Webber is Santa Cruz county’s Registrar of Voters and heads the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“It seems that the federal government does not believe that we are doing our duties on the oath that we swore to do. It’s confusing as to the timing of it.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Wednesday, a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/28/nx-s1-6021478/doj-california-ballots-denied\">federal judge denied the Trump administration’s request\u003c/a> to require California election officials to set aside and stop processing the ballots of thousands of California voters who appear on a list of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/10/20/nx-s1-6009873/california-doj-voter-rolls-noncitizens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20,000 names\u003c/a> federal officials say are “likely” noncitizens.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Latino Voters in California’s 58th Assembly District Reckon With MAGA\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrat Clarissa Cervantes is campaigning again for the Assembly District seat that goes from Riverside to Corona. And once again, she’s up against Republican Leticia Castillo who won by about 600 votes in 2024.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes positions herself as the anti-MAGA candidate she took on Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. The self-professed MAGA sheriff seized hundreds of thousands of ballots after the Prop. 50 election. Bianco claimed there was voter fraud.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In March, Cervantes and two other lawmakers sued Bianco and on the stump, she talks about the lawsuit a lot.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When we went before the California Supreme Court I was getting messages: Were you scared? Are you nervous,” said Cervantes alongside gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra earlier this month. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes and the lawmakers won their lawsuit and a court ordered Bianco to return the ballots.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I said, “No, I’m not afraid of people who want to undermine democracy,” said Cervantes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes is 37-years-old and has been on the Riverside City Council for five years.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She’s running to represent a district that’s about 60% Latino, and one that’s been hit hard by ICE raids.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cervantes strategy: attack Castillo who is a strong Trump supporter and tie her to the affordability issue.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“One of the biggest things that we’re hearing is the cost of these wars that are taking place. The cost of investing over a billion dollars into ICE. these are all on taxpayer dollars.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mike Madrid is a longtime Republican strategist and an anti-trumper. He focuses on the Latino vote.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Madrid thinks tying Castillo to the unpopular president is the right political move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Look, she’s a Trumper, and that’s what matters in this moment. Nobody cares about anything else. That’s why Cervantes is running the race that she is.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Madrid says if Cervantes is elected it’d be a mistake to continue focusing on Trump and immigration in Sacramento. He says like most Americans, Latino voters are focused on the economy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“When no party has any solutions, they’re going to resort to these old caricatures of what is driving Latinos, which in this case is immigration.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Madrid says if Cervantes doesn’t come up with economic solutions that speak to Latinos that vote will swing again. He says Latinos are “de-aligned” from both parties.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“and by dealignment, what I mean is extraordinary loss of confidence and trust in both parties,” said Madrid. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Castillo appears to understand that. In recent weeks, her political ads have been promoting policies to bring down the cost of living. One idea: eliminate the state’s gas tax.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Madrid says that strategy comes a little too late.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Jurupa Valley, a city that borders Riverside, Chuy Garcia sits behind the cash register at the neighborhood market on a recent Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Garcia has owned the store for 25 years and calls himself a “common sense” Republican.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Garcia isn’t paying attention to the race because he doesn’t see the point.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Everybody just wants to say what you want to hear to get votes,” said Garcia. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He’s concerned about the ICE raids and the effect it’s had on his neighborhood and business. He mentions his parents came here illegally.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Garcia also blames the Democrats for the state’s high taxes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“I don’t understand why they can’t see what is bad for business.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Garcia also votes on cultural issues, especially when it comes to transgender girls in sports\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Castillo is trying to appeal to that segment of the electorate, mostly Latino men. She declined multiple requests for an interview but here she is on the conservative podcast “Latino Free Minds” on October 19:\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Talking to a lot of people, they’ll say ‘you’re anti’. No. I’m about family values, protecting the kids, those types of things.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Castillo’s campaign slogan: faith, family and freedom. And she’s been hitting hard on Cervantes’ past DUIs.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But an October surprise could scramble her campaign strategy.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The California Post published a story reporting that in the past, Castillo operated an Adult website. Castillo told the Post she takes responsibility for the activity but has since found God.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sarah Longwell has conducted hundreds of focus groups and spoken with thousands of American voters over the past decade. As a result, the former Republican strategist, who left the party after President Trump was elected in 2016, has become one of the nation’s preeminent experts on voter sentiment. Less than a week before election day, Longwell joins Marisa to discuss the state of U.S. politics in 2026. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Longwell is also the New York Times bestselling author of “\u003ca href=\"https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-eat-an-elephant-9781250464170/\">How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time\u003c/a>,” publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group podcast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t forget to use \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">KQED’s voter guide\u003c/a> when filling out your ballot!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plus, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sarah Longwell has conducted hundreds of focus groups and spoken with thousands of American voters over the past decade. As a result, the former Republican strategist, who left the party after President Trump was elected in 2016, has become one of the nation’s preeminent experts on voter sentiment. Less than a week before election day, Longwell joins Marisa to discuss the state of U.S. politics in 2026. \u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sarah Longwell has conducted hundreds of focus groups and spoken with thousands of American voters over the past decade. As a result, the former Republican strategist, who left the party after President Trump was elected in 2016, has become one of the nation’s preeminent experts on voter sentiment. Less than a week before election day, Longwell joins Marisa to discuss the state of U.S. politics in 2026. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Longwell is also the New York Times bestselling author of “\u003ca href=\"https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-eat-an-elephant-9781250464170/\">How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time\u003c/a>,” publisher of The Bulwark and host of The Focus Group podcast. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don’t forget to use \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/voterguide\">KQED’s voter guide\u003c/a> when filling out your ballot!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plus, check out \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/newsletters/political-breakdown\">Political Breakdown’s weekly newsletter\u003c/a>, delivered straight to your inbox.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "head-of-california-high-speed-rail-agency-resigns-amid-travel-expenses-scandal",
"title": "Head of California High-Speed Rail Agency Resigns Amid Travel Expenses Scandal",
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"headTitle": "Head of California High-Speed Rail Agency Resigns Amid Travel Expenses Scandal | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\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\u003cp>The CEO of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-high-speed-rail\">California’s high-speed rail\u003c/a> authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on “important personal and family priorities,” according to a copy of the emailed resignation obtained by CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has not been an easy decision, as leading the Authority has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of my professional life,” wrote Chief Executive Ian Choudri.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He will be replaced by Joe Stephenshaw, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022 after working as a policy analyst in the state Legislature for more than a decade, the board announced Thursday morning following a closed session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The abrupt announcement comes in the midst of a two-day meeting of the board that oversees the project, which continues Thursday. It follows Choudri’s tumultuous two-year tenure, which has been troubled by budget woes, project delays, transparency concerns and various scandals including the misuse of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money\u003c/a> for questionable trips by rail authority consultants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under Choudri, the authority also lost $4 billion in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, after the agency repeatedly missed deadlines required by the funding agreement to buy trains. The state initially sued Trump for the funding but abruptly dropped the lawsuit in December 2025, blaming Trump as “not a reliable partner” and turning to private investors instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Choudri did not respond to an email or a text from CalMatters requesting comment Wednesday night. His resignation took effect immediately, board chair Steve Kawa said Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today’s news reflects the board’s commitment to accountability and transparency, consistent with the governor’s mandate,” Kawa said. “Californians deserve a project they can trust.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">State investigators\u003c/a> last month found the rail agency’s consultants flew first class, hailed premium rides and traveled to a nightclub, cigar lounge and restaurants on taxpayers’ dime, sometimes at Choudri’s request. Many of the trips involved traveling to Folsom, the Sacramento suburb where Choudri has a home, sometimes after hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12100017\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12100017\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction on the high-speed rail project over a ramp above Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters via CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The board voted earlier this month to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-board-contracts/\">limit Choudri’s contracting authority\u003c/a> following the probe, requiring the in-house legal counsel to sign off first on contracts under $25 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board has been weighing additional disciplinary action against Choudri for weeks, including possible termination, according to a source with the authority who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California voters in 2008 approved a $10 billion bond to build a bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020, with a projected cost of $45 billion. But progress stalled amid rising costs, legal fights and funding uncertainties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The authority’s \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Final-Business-Plan-060126-A11Y.pdf\">latest business plan\u003c/a> said the project could now cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with the current 171-mile leg between Merced and Bakersfield under construction, and a full buildout expected by 2040.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board was supposed to decide at the meeting this week if Choudri qualified for a potential $25,000 bonus based on his performance this year, agency spokesperson Micah Flores told CalMatters last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Choudri’s compensation this year is more than $534,000, according to agency spokesperson Annie Parker.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cost overruns, project delays, legal challenges\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Choudri was hired in August 2024 after spending decades in transportation engineering, with experience building high-speed rail in France and Spain. The board hired him in part due to his “strong understanding of complex transportation projects,” according to then-board chair Tom Richards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under Choudri, the agency has continued construction of the Central Valley segment and is on the cusp of getting environmental clearance from the state for all 500 miles of planned railway between San Francisco and Southern California. Newsom, a big supporter of the rail project, has committed $1 billion a year from the state’s climate fund toward the rail project until 2045.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Choudri has also led efforts to cut consultant contract costs, attract private investments and speed up contracting, rail authority chief of staff Mark Tollefson said during a \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-28-PPT-CEO-Report-A11Y.pdf\">Wednesday presentation\u003c/a> touting Choudri’s achievements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12107256\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12107256\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ian Choudri, CEO of California High Speed Rail, speaks during a press conference on the high-speed rail project at the Wasco Rail Yard facility in Wasco on Feb. 3, 2026. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the board unanimously approved a $772.1 million contract to Germany-based Siemens Mobility, Inc. to design, build and test three seven-car high-speed bullet trains by 2030. The authority will also pay up to $63.7 million in import duties and tariffs, because the trains will be designed and built in Germany.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vote comes three years after the agency first opened bidding for six trainsets in August 2023 to qualify for more than $3 billion in federal grants, before ultimately losing the funding following missed deadlines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his resignation letter, Choudri said he was proud to have transformed the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I took on a project facing significant challenges and serious questions about its prospects for success, and led its turnaround into a successful program,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the project has continued to face significant cost overruns, schedule delays and lawsuits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12083557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12083557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A viaduct runs alongside Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 27, 2019. \u003ccite>(Alex Hall/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The train agency could run out of cash by December 2027, the office of inspector general \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/OIG-HSR-Review-of-2026-Business-Plan-A11Y.pdf\">warned in July.\u003c/a> Meanwhile, the authority failed to make clear in its latest business plan that the Central Valley segment is now expected to be completed by 2034 at a cost likely exceeding $40 billion, the inspector general said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The authority also based its project schedule on the assumption it would achieve legislative proposals it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/high-speed-rail-legislative-wins-losses/\">failed to push through this year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To save money, the authority proposed shrinking the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment by 9 miles and moving the downtown Merced station to South Merced, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB198\">in apparent violation of state law\u003c/a>. It also requested an \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2026090282\">exemption from environmental regulations\u003c/a> and solicited contractors for the new location, prompting a lawsuit this month from the Central Valley coalition Community Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This challenge follows an unlawful pattern of behavior by the HSRA — proposing to relocate the downtown Merced station, then acting as if that move has been approved when it has not,” the complaint said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Questionable trips plague the authority\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Between 2024 and 2026, employees from four consulting firms working for Choudri’s agency billed the state for questionable trips to locations including gyms, a nightclub, an escape room, a tiki bar and a cigar lounge, according to last month’s probe by the inspector general’s office overseeing the rail agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many trips were poorly justified, yet the agency routinely reimbursed them without sufficient vetting, the inspector general said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One legal consultant traveled between Denver and Sacramento 30 times in a year, charging the state $86,500 in “travel time” payments and an additional $40,800 in reimbursements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12105834 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260601_SMARTFILE_GC-9-KQED.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a testy meeting earlier this month, the board accused them of using the agency as a “piggy bank.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday\u003cstrong>,\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-28-PPT-CEO-Report-A11Y.pdf\">authority staff reported\u003c/a> that the consulting firms have paid nearly $1.3 million in reimbursements to the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters filed a public records request last month seeking the questionable travel invoices from the inspector general’s office. The agency provided records only from one firm, Nossaman, arguing that the records for other consultants are related to audits or investigations and therefore are not required to be publicly disclosed under a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb169\">recent law\u003c/a> signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The records that were released were heavily redacted by both the inspector general’s office and the rail agency, which argued much of the information is protected by attorney-client privilege.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">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": "Ian Choudri, who has led the train agency since 2024, leaves a troublesome legacy marked by budget woes, project delays and various scandals, including questionable taxpayer-funded trips by consultants.",
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"title": "Head of California High-Speed Rail Agency Resigns Amid Travel Expenses Scandal | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\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\u003cp>The CEO of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california-high-speed-rail\">California’s high-speed rail\u003c/a> authority resigned late Wednesday, saying he needs to focus on “important personal and family priorities,” according to a copy of the emailed resignation obtained by CalMatters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has not been an easy decision, as leading the Authority has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding chapters of my professional life,” wrote Chief Executive Ian Choudri.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He will be replaced by Joe Stephenshaw, who has led the state Department of Finance since July 2022 after working as a policy analyst in the state Legislature for more than a decade, the board announced Thursday morning following a closed session.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The abrupt announcement comes in the midst of a two-day meeting of the board that oversees the project, which continues Thursday. It follows Choudri’s tumultuous two-year tenure, which has been troubled by budget woes, project delays, transparency concerns and various scandals including the misuse of \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/california-high-speed-rail-travel-expenses/\">nearly $600,000 in taxpayer money\u003c/a> for questionable trips by rail authority consultants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under Choudri, the authority also lost $4 billion in federal funding under President Donald Trump’s administration, after the agency repeatedly missed deadlines required by the funding agreement to buy trains. The state initially sued Trump for the funding but abruptly dropped the lawsuit in December 2025, blaming Trump as “not a reliable partner” and turning to private investors instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Choudri did not respond to an email or a text from CalMatters requesting comment Wednesday night. His resignation took effect immediately, board chair Steve Kawa said Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today’s news reflects the board’s commitment to accountability and transparency, consistent with the governor’s mandate,” Kawa said. “Californians deserve a project they can trust.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Investigative-Report-2026-Allegations-of-Wasteful-and-Unallowable-Travel-Expenses-for-Contracted-Consultants-A11Y.pdf\">State investigators\u003c/a> last month found the rail agency’s consultants flew first class, hailed premium rides and traveled to a nightclub, cigar lounge and restaurants on taxpayers’ dime, sometimes at Choudri’s request. Many of the trips involved traveling to Folsom, the Sacramento suburb where Choudri has a home, sometimes after hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12100017\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12100017\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/09/CMHighSpeedRail2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction on the high-speed rail project over a ramp above Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 3, 2023. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters via CatchLight Local)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The board voted earlier this month to \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-board-contracts/\">limit Choudri’s contracting authority\u003c/a> following the probe, requiring the in-house legal counsel to sign off first on contracts under $25 million.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board has been weighing additional disciplinary action against Choudri for weeks, including possible termination, according to a source with the authority who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California voters in 2008 approved a $10 billion bond to build a bullet train connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles by 2020, with a projected cost of $45 billion. But progress stalled amid rising costs, legal fights and funding uncertainties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The authority’s \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Final-Business-Plan-060126-A11Y.pdf\">latest business plan\u003c/a> said the project could now cost between $126 billion and $231 billion, with the current 171-mile leg between Merced and Bakersfield under construction, and a full buildout expected by 2040.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The board was supposed to decide at the meeting this week if Choudri qualified for a potential $25,000 bonus based on his performance this year, agency spokesperson Micah Flores told CalMatters last month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Choudri’s compensation this year is more than $534,000, according to agency spokesperson Annie Parker.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Cost overruns, project delays, legal challenges\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Choudri was hired in August 2024 after spending decades in transportation engineering, with experience building high-speed rail in France and Spain. The board hired him in part due to his “strong understanding of complex transportation projects,” according to then-board chair Tom Richards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under Choudri, the agency has continued construction of the Central Valley segment and is on the cusp of getting environmental clearance from the state for all 500 miles of planned railway between San Francisco and Southern California. Newsom, a big supporter of the rail project, has committed $1 billion a year from the state’s climate fund toward the rail project until 2045.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Choudri has also led efforts to cut consultant contract costs, attract private investments and speed up contracting, rail authority chief of staff Mark Tollefson said during a \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-28-PPT-CEO-Report-A11Y.pdf\">Wednesday presentation\u003c/a> touting Choudri’s achievements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12107256\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12107256\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/10/HighSpeedRail2-40058538-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ian Choudri, CEO of California High Speed Rail, speaks during a press conference on the high-speed rail project at the Wasco Rail Yard facility in Wasco on Feb. 3, 2026. \u003ccite>(Larry Valenzuela/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, the board unanimously approved a $772.1 million contract to Germany-based Siemens Mobility, Inc. to design, build and test three seven-car high-speed bullet trains by 2030. The authority will also pay up to $63.7 million in import duties and tariffs, because the trains will be designed and built in Germany.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vote comes three years after the agency first opened bidding for six trainsets in August 2023 to qualify for more than $3 billion in federal grants, before ultimately losing the funding following missed deadlines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his resignation letter, Choudri said he was proud to have transformed the project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I took on a project facing significant challenges and serious questions about its prospects for success, and led its turnaround into a successful program,” he wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the project has continued to face significant cost overruns, schedule delays and lawsuits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12083557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12083557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/IMG_4619_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A viaduct runs alongside Highway 99 in south Fresno on March 27, 2019. \u003ccite>(Alex Hall/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The train agency could run out of cash by December 2027, the office of inspector general \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/OIG-HSR-Review-of-2026-Business-Plan-A11Y.pdf\">warned in July.\u003c/a> Meanwhile, the authority failed to make clear in its latest business plan that the Central Valley segment is now expected to be completed by 2034 at a cost likely exceeding $40 billion, the inspector general said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The authority also based its project schedule on the assumption it would achieve legislative proposals it \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/09/high-speed-rail-legislative-wins-losses/\">failed to push through this year\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To save money, the authority proposed shrinking the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment by 9 miles and moving the downtown Merced station to South Merced, \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB198\">in apparent violation of state law\u003c/a>. It also requested an \u003ca href=\"https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2026090282\">exemption from environmental regulations\u003c/a> and solicited contractors for the new location, prompting a lawsuit this month from the Central Valley coalition Community Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This challenge follows an unlawful pattern of behavior by the HSRA — proposing to relocate the downtown Merced station, then acting as if that move has been approved when it has not,” the complaint said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Questionable trips plague the authority\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Between 2024 and 2026, employees from four consulting firms working for Choudri’s agency billed the state for questionable trips to locations including gyms, a nightclub, an escape room, a tiki bar and a cigar lounge, according to last month’s probe by the inspector general’s office overseeing the rail agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many trips were poorly justified, yet the agency routinely reimbursed them without sufficient vetting, the inspector general said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One legal consultant traveled between Denver and Sacramento 30 times in a year, charging the state $86,500 in “travel time” payments and an additional $40,800 in reimbursements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a testy meeting earlier this month, the board accused them of using the agency as a “piggy bank.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday\u003cstrong>,\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"https://hsr.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2026-10-28-PPT-CEO-Report-A11Y.pdf\">authority staff reported\u003c/a> that the consulting firms have paid nearly $1.3 million in reimbursements to the agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CalMatters filed a public records request last month seeking the questionable travel invoices from the inspector general’s office. The agency provided records only from one firm, Nossaman, arguing that the records for other consultants are related to audits or investigations and therefore are not required to be publicly disclosed under a \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb169\">recent law\u003c/a> signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The records that were released were heavily redacted by both the inspector general’s office and the rail agency, which argued much of the information is protected by attorney-client privilege.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2026/10/california-high-speed-rail-ceo-resigns/\">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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"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
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"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
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"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
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"order": 8
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},
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"order": 1
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"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"order": 9
},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"order": 18
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},
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"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
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"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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