HomeCasting your Ballot

Casting Your Ballot by Drop Box, US Mail, or In-Person

Vote in Every Election!

Primary Election: May 4 - June 2, 2026

If you've already registered to vote in California, your ballot will be automatically mailed to you.

You DO NOT need to request a mail-in or absentee ballot, in California it's automatic!

Learn about your California Voter Rights.

Primary Elections Are IMPORTANT!

Mail-In Ballot Period: May 4 - June 2, 2026

You do NOT need to be registered in a political party to vote in the primary

The Spring Primary Election possibly the most important election of any year, because it decides who we all finally get to vote for in the Fall.

In some states you can only vote in the primaries if you are registered with a specific political party.
In California, voting in primary elections is not very limited by what party you did (or did not) indicate when you registered to vote. There are a few minor limitations, laid out in the California Election Code or more simply by a table created by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.

In in October-November we hold the final 2026 elections. On thatr ballot there will be only two (2) names for each office.

In May-June 2026 we hold the Primary, where every registered candidate for an office representing you is listed on one ballot. Sometimes there's only a few candidates, sometimes there's a long list.

Regardless of your party (or non-party) voter registration status, you get to vote for one candidate for each office to appear on the October-November ballot. Only the top two vote-getters in the Primary will appear on the October/November ballot. It doesn't matter what their party preference - they could be from different parties or the same party.

If you want a choice in November
be sure to VOTE in May-June!

# 1. Check your Registration 6 weeks before the election

Every Californian who is actively registered will get a ballot mailed to them 30 days before the election date.
Double check the address on your registration.
To make sure you get your ballot, you can confirm your address at voterguide.sos.ca.gov .
Track your ballot. You can sign up to receive updates on your vote-by-mail ballot via text (SMS), email, or voice call through the state’s official “Where’s My Ballot?” tracking tool at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.

Avoid the most common mistakes that might void your ballot!

You've gotten your Vote-by-Mail Ballot. Now What?

# 2. Research the Candidates and the Measures/Propositions

Here are some non-partisan sources :

Election Forums - links to local Zoom or recordings of League Candidate Forums and Pro/Con's

www/Vote411.org/california – Official LWC source for election Information

PowerSearch.sos.ca.gov– CA Secretary of State has the money info behind the state candidates and ballot measures.

Federal Elections Commission – Campaign finance reports of the money behind federal candidates.

www.ballotpedia.org - one stop shopping for election Information

www.easyvoterguide.org – concise explanations of state propositions

www.lao.ca.gov – government & fiscal analysis

www.sos.ca.gov – online registration, election info

www.lwvc.org – LWV of the state of California

www.cavotes.org – LWV Education Fund information site

#3. Vote - Fill it out at home.

Sign your ballot return envelope!! It’s required so that your signature can be compared with the one on file to verify your identity.

Use the Voter Information Guide! The Voter Information Guide (VIG) includes important information about the U.S. Senate and Presidential Primary races and the state ballot proposition. The VIG has already been mailed to active registered voters and is availablein several languages and in large-print and audio formats at voterguide.sos.ca.gov.

Track your ballot. You can sign up to receive updates on your vote-by-mail ballot via text (SMS), email, or voice call through the state’s official “Where’s My Ballot?” tracking tool at california.ballottrax.net/voter/ You'll be notified when it arrives to be counted.

Avoid the most common mistakes that might void your ballot!

OOPs - The Dog ate my Ballot! (OK, I lost it!)

Ask the County Registrar for a new one

Check out the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters (ROV) HERE:

There are many reasons why you might need a replacement ballot. For example, you might have lost your ballot or made a mistake when marking it. You can also request a replacement ballot if you need to change your address or update your voter registration information.

There are 3 ways to get a replacement ballot:

1. Online (NOTE - YOU CAN NOT VOTE ONLINE!): You can use the Remote Accessible Vote By Mail(RAVBM) system to:
1. download a copy of the ballot

2. print it out

3. then fill it out and return it by mail/Drop Box, or in Person.
The LAST DAY to do this is SEVEN (7) DAYS before the election.

2. By Mail - You can request a new ballot to be mailed to you.
Call the Registrar of Voters toll-free at (866) 430-VOTE (8683) . Your request for a new ballot must be received at least seven days before the election. After then, replacement ballots are only available in-person.

3. In-Person: You can pick up a replacement ballot in person at any Vote Center in the County or the Registrar of Voters’ Office.

Find a Vote Center

# 4. Return your ballot:

Find a Ballot Drop Off or Vote Center

1. By Drop Box – All counties offer secure drop boxes to return your ballot. They are set up about 3 weeks before Election Day, and ballots are collected every day.
Make sure your ballot is deposited before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

2. By US Mail – No stamp is required to return your ballot through the US Postal Service.
To ensure your ballot is postmarked by by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Mail Early (best to mail AT LEAST 9 days BEFORE.

3. In Person – You can return your ballot to a Vote Center or the county elections office - by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Santa Clara County will have early voting locations available several days before Election Day.
Vote Centers offer voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance.

No, you can NOT vote on your phone!
No, you can NOT send in your vote on your computer

Reminder: There is NO full online voting in California.
In some cases you can use a computer to help fill out your ballot, using RAVBM,
BUT you then must print it out and submit it by one of the 3 methods shown above.

# 4. You've Returned Your Ballot; Wonder where it is?

You can go online to check with the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters (ROV) to see the status of your ballot.

And . . . all California voters can now get update notifications on their ballots through California’s official atcalifornia.ballottrax.net/voter/ tracking tool.
Signing up takes less than 3 minutes!

How can you track?
When you sign up, you can choose to get notifications on the status of your ballot by:

text (SMS),
email, and/or
voice call

What gets tracked?
You will get notifications such as:
- Ballot Printed - when your county elections office has printed your ballot and is preparing to send it to you.
- Ballot Inbound - when the Postal Service has told your county elections office that they have the ballot you mailed, and they are taking it to your county elections office.
- Ballot Received - the county election office has received your ballot
- Ballot Alert - Alerts if there are any issues with your ballot, plus instructions for how to correct them to make sure your vote is counted.
- Ballot Accepted - Your ballot was received by your county elections office and will be counted.
Don't miss out on the chance to track your ballot every step of the way!