California Voter Guide
- Oct. 10: Early voting sites open; last day for counties to mail every registered voter a ballot.
- Oct. 24: Last day to register to vote.
- Nov. 8: Election Day. Polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
California Propositions
Proposition 1
Proposition 26
Proposition 28
Proposition 30
Key Statewide Races
U.S. Senator
Governor
Attorney General
Controller
Key Local Races
Alameda CountyAlameda County
Contra Costa CountyContra Costa County
Marin CountyMarin County
Napa CountyNapa County
San Francisco CountySan Francisco County
San Mateo CountySan Mateo County
Santa Clara CountySanta Clara County
Solano CountySolano County
Sonoma CountySonoma County
Voting FAQ
How do I return my ballot?
Ballots can be returned through the Postal Service (the return postage is already paid) or dropped off at a voting location or in a ballot drop box. Keep in mind that the Postal Service must postmark your ballot envelope by the end of Election Day for your vote to count — and the last collection at many mailboxes is 5 p.m. If it's getting late in the day on November 8, you might consider using a county drop box instead of a USPS mailbox.
What if I make a mistake on my ballot?
Some counties will provide written instructions on how to correct a mistake on your ballot, such as voting for a candidate you didn't intend to. But if you clearly mark your intended choice — say, by x-ing out your mistake — your vote can still be counted.
What if I made a mistake with my ballot signature?
Your ballot will not be counted if the envelope is unsigned or if the signature doesn't match the signature in your voter registration file. Typically, the signature on file is the same as the signature pictured on the front of your driver's license or state ID. County election officials can reach out to you to correct a missing or mismatched signature in order to count your ballot, even after election day.
How do I track my ballot once I’ve returned it?
All registered voters in California can sign up for an online tool to track the status of their mail-in ballots for the November general election. "Where's My Ballot?" provides automated notifications via email, text or phone when your county elections offices have mailed out your ballot — and when your completed ballot has been received and processed.
Can I still vote in-person?
Yes. In Contra Costa, San Francisco and Solano counties, you will be assigned to a specific location for in-person voting. In Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties, you can cast your ballot at any vote center in the county.
Site Credits: The KQED 2022 November Voter Guide was made by our news and product teams comprised of Erin Baldassari, Adhiti Bandlamudi, Maria Fernanda Bernal, Bryan Bindloss, Anna Carollo, Jason Cater, Kevin Cooke, Suresh Eluri, Duke Fan, Annelise Finney, Pamela Gilmour, Ted Goldberg, Matthew Green, Vivek Gunnala, Sahila Jorapur, Venkateswara Kasagani, Erika Kelly, Marisa Lagos, Ethan Toven Lindsey, Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, Kimberly Low, Haricharan Madduru, David Marks, Sarah Marks, Guy Marzorati, Vanessa Merina, Lesley McClurg, Holly McDede, Julia McEvoy, Chante Owens, Attila Pelit, María Peña, Noah Piper, Olivia Allen Price, Vanessa Rancaño, Rahul Raparti, Kervy Justo Robles, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, Caroline Sarkki, Carly Severn, Katrina Schwartz, Scott Shafer, Kevin Stark, Ki Sung, Otis R. Taylor Jr., Vinnee Tong, Danielle Venton and Lisa Pickoff-White.