More than 1.5 million California Vote-by-Mail ballots already returned

As of Wednesday, Oct 14, more than 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots have already been returned by California voters. This is a massive increase compared to approximately 150,000 ballots returned at this same point in the 2016 General Election.

“Californians are voting early in historic numbers,” said secretary of state Alex Padilla. “We knew the COVID-19 pandemic would pose significant challenges, but elections officials have prepared and voters have responded. More Californians voting early will mean a safer Election Day for everyone — voters, poll workers, and elections officials alike. By voting early, you help preserve in-person voting for those who need it — including our neighbors with disabilities, those who need language assistance, or those who need access to Same Day Voter Registration.

“If you haven’t already done so, please make a plan to vote. You can return your ballot by mail — using the prepaid postage return envelope—or in-person to any official drop box, voting location, or elections office. Official secure ballot drop boxes and early voting locations can be found at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.”

Tips for voters

Make a plan to vote. Find official ballot drop boxes and early voting locations at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.

Need to research the statewide ballot measures? Visit VoterGuide.sos.ca.gov for arguments for and against each measure, as well as nonpartisan analysis.

Sign-up for vote-by-mail ballot tracking at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov. You can receive automatic notifications about the status of your ballot by text message, email or voice call.