How to vote in California's Nov. 4 special election (2026)

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Voters have an array of ways to cast their ballot in the Nov. 4 special election. This guide uses California secretary of state information to tell you how and where to vote, and the deadlines.

The major issue on the Nov. 4 special election is Proposition 50, which would gerrymander the state’s congressional districts to help Democrats in response to the Trump administration’s moves to increase the number of Republican Congress members. Voters in some areas of California will also see other contests on their Nov. 4 ballots.

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How do I know if I’m registered to vote?

Head to the secretary of state’s website to find out if you’re registered. You’ll need to enter a California driver’s license or ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

You can also call the state’s voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE(8683) to get a paper application mailed you to you, or you can pick one up at a county election office, most California libraries and United States Post Office locations; Department of Motor Vehicle office and various federal, state, and local government offices.

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What’s the deadline to register to vote?

The deadline is Oct. 20. You can register here.

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Who can register to vote in California?

You must be a United States citizen and a California resident; 18 years or older on election day; not currently serving a state or federal prison term for a felony; and not deemed mentally incompetent by a court.

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I’m a first-time voter. What do I need to know?

Read about the voting process here.

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What if I need a guide or voting instructions in another language?

Voters can choose to get election information in English, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai or Vietnamese by calling the phone numbers listed here or by using these online options to get help.

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How do I vote if I was displaced from my home by a fire?

Vote-by-mail ballots will not be forwarded with your mail to a new address, so your ballot will be returned to your local county election office if you haven’t updated your voter registration.

Voters can choose to have a vote-by-mail ballot sent to the residence of a family member or friend, a post office box, or your place of employment by completing a replacement ballot request.

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What are the other ways I can vote?

Information about using Remote Accessible Vote by Mail (RAVBM) system and other options can be found here.

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I like to vote early. How do I do that?

Ballots will start being mailed to all California registered voters on Oct. 6. You can mail back your ballot, drop it off at a ballot box, or take it to a vote center. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before election day and received by Nov. 12.

Many post offices no longer postmark mail the same day it is received because of processing changes at the United States Postal Service. If you live in an area affected by this change, mail your ballot before Nov. 4.

Vote centers open for early in-person voting starting on Oct. 25. To find locations, visit your county elections official’s website or this site.

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I like to vote in person on election day. Where do I go?

You can find your polling place by going here or calling (800) 345-VOTE(8683). The Voter’s Choice Act in 2016 allowed counties to create regional vote centers to give residents more places to cast ballots. Click here to see which California counties are taking part in this system.

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How do I make sure my ballot was counted?

You can track your ballot here.

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Where do I track the election results?

The Los Angeles Times will be covering election night. Results will updated throughout the night and following days and weeks ahead. You can track those updates here.

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What happens next?

County elections officials must certify election results by Dec. 4. The official certified results will be posted by the secretary of state on Dec. 12.

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