California's governor, secretary of state, and attorney general urged voters to watch for ballots arriving this week and return them at least a week before Election Day, citing recent changes to U.S. Postal Service delivery procedures.
The warning stems from new USPS rules in which mail deposited at post offices or collection boxes more than 50 miles from a regional hub is now collected the next day instead of the same day. This could cause ballots mailed on Election Day, November 3, to miss the state's deadline, as late ballots are not counted. Governor Gavin Newsom, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, and Attorney General Rob Bonta recommend returning mail ballots by at least a week before Election Day.
California voters have multiple ways to ensure their ballots are counted. Ballot drop boxes are now open and available through Election Day. Voters can also deliver completed mail ballots to vote centers on Election Day itself. Those choosing to mail ballots can request a postmark at a post office to ensure credit for timely mailing. Voters can track their ballots throughout the process at WheresMyBallot.com.
Voter registration continues through October 19 for new voters. Those who miss that deadline can still register on Election Day through California's Conditional Voter Registration process.
Attorney General Bonta noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that voters can continue to vote by mail. "We successfully secured a U.S. Supreme Court order that protects your ability to vote by mail, so you can continue to vote as you have in past elections..." he said.
California enacted 13 new laws this year to safeguard elections, including measures to prevent election interference and address deepfake and manipulated content in campaign materials. The state budget included $29 million for county equipment upgrades and staffing to speed ballot counting, $5 million for county voter outreach, $5 million for statewide voter education, and $750,000 to combat election misinformation.