Vote by Mail

Return ballot by mail—must be postmarked on or before November 5, 2024, and received by your county elections office no later than November 12, 2024.

Return ballot in person—to your county elections office or any polling or ballot drop-off location in California by 8:00 p.m. on November 5, 2024.

To locate an early voting or ballot drop-off location near you, visit CAEarlyVoting.sos.ca.gov or contact your county elections office.

Vote Early in Person

County elections officials offer early voting at their office, and many counties offer early voting at additional locations before Election Day.

To locate an early voting location near you, visit CAEarlyVoting.sos.ca.gov or contact your county elections office.

County contact information can be found by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices.

Vote at the Polls on Election Day

Polls are open on Election Day: November 5, 2024, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The location of your polling place is provided in your county Voter Information Guide mailed to you by your county elections official.

In most cases, a California voter is not required to show identification to a polling place worker before casting a ballot.

However, suppose you are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and did not provide your driver’s license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your social security number on your registration form. In that case, you may be asked to show a form of identification when you go to the polls. In this case, be sure to bring identification with you to your polling place or include a copy of it with your vote-by-mail ballot. 

Forms of ID that are acceptable include current and valid photo identification provided by a third party that includes the name and photograph of the individual presenting it. Examples of photo identification include, but are not limited to:

• driver’s license or identification card of any state;
• passport;
• employee identification card;
• identification card provided by a commercial establishment;
• credit or debit card;
• military identification card;
• student identification card;
• health club identification card;
• insurance plan identification card;
• public housing identification card.

You may also provide any of the following documents, provided that the document includes the name and address of the individual presenting it, and is dated since the date of the last general election, including:

• utility bill;
• bank statement;
• government check;
• government paycheck;
• document issued by a governmental agency;
• sample ballot or other official elections document issued by a governmental, agency dated for the election in which the individual is providing it as proof, of residency or identity;
• voter notification card issued by a governmental agency;
• public housing identification card issued by a governmental agency;
• lease or rental statement or agreement issued by a governmental agency; (J) student identification card issued by a governmental agency;
• tuition statement or bill issued by a governmental agency;
• insurance plan card or drug discount card issued by a governmental agency;
• discharge certificates, pardons, or other official documents issued to the individual by a governmental agency in connection with the resolution of a criminal case, indictment, sentence, or other matter;
• public transportation authority senior citizen and disabled discount cards issued by a governmental agency;
• identification documents issued by governmental disability agencies;
• identification documents issued by government homeless shelters and other government temporary or transitional facilities;
• drug prescription issued by a government doctor or other governmental health care provider;
• property tax statement issued by a governmental agency;
• vehicle registration issued by a governmental agency; or
• vehicle certificate of ownership issued by a governmental agency.

• 2024 Voter Guide – ACLU of Northern California
• Vote For Our Future – ACLU of Southern California