When should you mail your ballot? Answers to your California election questions
The vast majority of California voters are expected to cast ballots by mail in the November general election, a prospect that has inspired questions from voters on how to be sure that their ballots will count.
The Postal Service and California officials say voters should have confidence in the vote-by-mail process. The Postal Sevice has said it has suspended recent cost-cutting changes that seemed to be slowing down mail delivery.
California has recorded rising number of vote-by-mail ballots in every election for more than a decade. The Secretary of State’s office says it’s ready for November.
But there are still some things voters should know about mailing in their ballots. McClatchy reached out to officials with the California Secretary of State and Postal Service in order to answer some of voters’ questions.
Q: How do I request a mail-in ballot in California?
A: A ballot will be automatically sent to you as long as you’re registered to vote at the correct address 15 days before Election Day.
If you do not register to vote 15 days beforehand — by Oct. 19 — then you can still vote, just not by mail. You’ll need to register to vote in person and fill out a provisional ballot.
Q: When will I receive my mail-in ballot?
A: Counties must begin sending ballots to voters by Oct. 5, according to California Secretary of State’s office spokesman Sam Mahood. Ballots will be sent to military overseas voters on Sept. 19.
Q: When should I send my ballot in to make sure it’s counted?
A: You need to make sure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day on Nov. 3. Election officials will continue counting ballots they receive that are postmarked by then for up to 17 days after Election Day.
Q: How long will it take my ballot to arrive after I send it?
A: The Postal Service in a statement to McClatchy said domestic, non-military voters should allow “at least one week prior to their state’s due date to allow for timely receipt by election officials.”
Ballots are considered first-class mail, and though there is a space to put a stamp voters do not have to pay for postage. The Postal Service website says first-class mail is supposed to be delivered in one to three business days, but there’s an ongoing disclaimer on the site that some deliveries may take longer due to the pandemic.
Brian Voigt, a legislative liaison for the union that represents mail carriers, said he wasn’t confident a week would be enough time and voters should plan to put in their ballots as soon as they can.
“The ballot is going to be sent out in October, and if you know already who you’re going to be voting for, then fill it out and get it back as soon as you can,” Voigt said.
Ballots can also be placed at local drop boxes if voters prefer not to mail them. You can find locations in your area on the Secretary of State website.
Q: How will I know if my ballot is counted after I send it in?
A: Spokesman Mahood pointed to a new ballot tracking tool created by the Secretary of State. California voters can sign up for it online, giving their name, birth date and zip code. County election officials will notify voters through that tool, as well as through the mail, that their ballot has been received, Mahood said.
If your county receives your ballot and notices an error, they will try to contact you to have you correct it.
Q: If ballots can still be counted 17 days after Election Day, how long will it take to know election results?
A: Strap in for a long November.
While some landslide races may be unofficially called relatively quickly, Mahood emphasized that official election results are not due until 30 days after Election Day. This year, be ready for some contested races to take that long for results, as the vast majority of voting is likely to happen through the mail and ballots could come in well after Nov. 3.
In the 2018 general election, 65% of California ballots were cast by mail. In the 2020 primary, which occurred In the first week of March, before the country shut down due to coronavirus concerns, 72% of ballots were cast by mail.
Mahood emphasized that the vote counting process in California is an open one, so people should have confidence in the election results. Some Republicans in 2018, including Trump, called foul as Democrats made late gains in seven contested California House races. But more Democratic votes rolling in later than Republican ones is a normal trend and not evidence of fraud, experts have said.
“Results might take a little bit longer,” Mahood said. “We’re more used to that in California, but I think we need to get used to that on a national scale too.”
