Can I drop off my ballot anywhere in California? Where can I stop to vote? What to know
California voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, to cast their votes in the 2024 general election.
They’ll help choose the next president of the United States, elect U.S. senators and representatives and make their voices heard on local measures and ballot propositions.
As election officials prepare for Election Day, ballot counting has already begun across California.
More than 8 million voters had cast their ballots in California, as of Monday, Nov. 4.
Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, who’s running against Republican former President Donald Trump for the presidency, told NBC News that she’s completed her ballot and mailed it.
Harris is registered to vote in California,
“My ballot is on its way to California, and I’m going to trust the system that it will arrive there,” Harris told NBC News on Sunday, Nov. 3.
Do you have to drop off your ballot in the California county where you’re registered? Where you can stop to vote?
Here’s what to know:
Can I drop off my ballot in a different California county?
The California Secretary of State’s Office said voters can drop off their mail-in ballots anywhere in the state.
Voters can find their nearest ballot drop-off location online.
Can I vote in person anywhere in the state?
When it comes to in-person voting at the polls, the California Secretary of State’s Office said “voters must vote in the county they are registered in.”
Here’s where you can look up your closest polling place.
“Additionally, a voter can go to their local county elections office in person to request and receive a vote-by-mail ballot,” the press office said.
What should I do if I still need to register?
For same-day voter registration on Election Day, California voters must register or update their registration in the county where they reside.
“You cannot register or vote in a different county from where you live on Election Day,” the press office said.
Same-day voter registration is available at your local county elections office, polling places or vote centers in your county.
Your ballot will be “processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process,” the California Secretary of State said.
Have a question about the 2024 election season?
Ask the California Service Journalism Team.
You can submit questions directly to our reporters by emailing servicejournalists@sacbee.com or by filling out the form below. We have reporters covering election news in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, San Luis Obispo and Merced.
This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Can I drop off my ballot anywhere in California? Where can I stop to vote? What to know."
