California

Find nonpartisan voter education and local coverage for California. A summary of California voting rules is below, and each county on the map has its own page.

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All 58 California counties (A–Z)

Voting in California

Voting rules are set by each state. This is a summary of California voting rules, checked Nov. 4, 2026, from Vote.gov (U.S. government), the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and Ballotpedia. Rules and dates can change, so confirm with California’s official election website or your local election office before each election.

Registering to vote

Online: by 15 days before Election Day.
By mail: must be postmarked 15 days before Election Day.
In person: available through Election Day (same-day registration).
Register or check your registration (California on Vote.gov)

Primary elections

California uses a top-two primary for most offices: all candidates appear on one ballot, any voter can vote for any candidate, and the top two advance to the general election.

Voter ID

California does not require most voters to show an ID document to vote in person; election workers confirm identity in other ways, such as checking a signature or personal information. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show ID under federal law.

Early voting

Starts: Twenty-nine days before election Note: California conducts elections primarily by mail. Ends: Day of election. Locations and hours are set locally.

Voting by mail

California conducts elections by mail: registered voters are automatically sent a ballot. You can still vote in person.

Your local election office

Find contact information for your local election office on California’s official election website.

Sources: Vote.gov (registration deadlines); NCSL voter ID (updated Sept. 3, 2026), early voting (updated Aug. 11, 2026) and absentee voting (updated July 17, 2026); Ballotpedia primary types (as of Aug. 2026).