How to report voter intimidation, fraud or other 2026 California primary issues

What should you do if you encounter possible cases of voter intimidation, voter fraud, illegal electioneering or other irregularities at the 2026 California primary polls?

The California Secretary of State’s Office has an online form you can fill out or print in English or Spanish and mail to report complaints.

Voters also can call 916- 657-2166 or 800-345-VOTE (8683) for English or 800-232-VOTA (8682) to report problems.

But, depending on the exact problem, those aren’t your only options.

Here’s what to know as voters head to the polls:

Voter intimidation

State and federal laws ban intimidating, threatening or coercing someone to interfere with their right to vote as they see fit, the American Civil Liberties Union said.

This includes aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote, posing as an elections worker, spreading false information about voting requirements, displaying false signs about fraud or other harassment, the ACLU said.

Along with the California Secretary of State’s Office, violations of laws against voter intimidation can be reported to your local district attorney’s office, your local grand jury, or the state Attorney General’s Office at 800-952-5225, election officials said.

The United States Election Assistance Commission recommends calling 911 and contacting your local Federal Bureau of Investigation field office and the U.S. Department of Justice civil rights division at 1-800-253-3931.

You also can file a complaint with your local elections office, although they are not enforcement agencies.

Voter fraud

Voter fraud occurs when a voter intentionally gives false information when registering to vote, a voter receives money or something of value in exchange for voting in a federal election or registering to vote, someone votes more than once in a federal election, or an election official corrupts his or her office to benefit a candidate or party, the FBI said.

Report suspected cases of voter fraud to the California Secretary of State’s Office, your local elections office, your FBI field office, your local U.S. Attorney’s office, and the U.S. Department of Justice criminal division, USA.gov said.

Election mail theft or tampering

Election mail theft and tampering are federal crimes.

Report mail-related election problems to the United States Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 or postalinspectors.uspis.gov​.​

Illegal electioneering

California bans “electioneering” within 100 feet of a polling place. That includes signs, hats, t-shirts, buttons, stickers or other clothing promoting a particular candidate or initiative.

That also includes encouraging voters to vote for a particular candidate, sharing campaign materials or circulating petitions.

Contact the California Secretary of State’s Office and your local elections office to report illegal electioneering at the polls.

Other voter complaints

Report other problems at the polls to your local elections office.

This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 12:31 PM.