When can I mail my California ballot for general election? Drop it off? Know these dates

Brianna Taylor, The Sacramento Bee on Oct 3, 2024

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The 2024 general election is nearing — and so is the window for eligible voters to cast their ballots.

Californians will help choose the next president and vice president of the United States.

They’ll also vote on candidates for U.S. senators and representatives as well as a number of ballot propositions.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of Election Day:

Who is eligible to get a ballot in California?

To be eligible to vote in California, you must be:

•A United States citizen

•A California resident

•At least 18 years old on Election Day

•Currently not serving time in a state or federal prison for a felony conviction

•Currently not found mentally incompetent by a court ruling

When can I vote in presidential election?

County election offices will begin mailing ballots to voters by Monday, Oct. 7.

Drop-off locations are slated to open the following day — Tuesday, Oct. 8, according to the California Secretary of State website.

What’s the deadline for mailing or dropping off my ballot?

Mail-in ballots can be returned by mail or dropped off at your county elections office, the California Secretary of State said on its election website.

You can also take your ballot to any poll place, drop-off location or designated drop box in the state before 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.

When mailing ballots, remember that they must be postmarked by Election Day and received by Tuesday, Nov. 12.

When can I vote in person?

Poll centers open Saturday, Oct. 26, for early in-person voting in all participating Voter’s Choice Act counties.

If y

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5, according to the Secretary of State site.

Voters who arrive after the polls close at 8 p.m. cannot cast a ballot, but folks already in line “have the right to vote,” California’s Voter Bill of Rights states.

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