How late can I mail my ballot for California primary election? Drop it off?
California is gearing up for the 2026 primary election.
County elections offices will begin mailing ballots on Monday, May 4. You can also vote early in person or pick up a ballot at an Early Voting site, starting on May 4.
If you’re someone who likes to wait until the last minute — whether to review candidates or out of habit — you might be planning to turn in your ballot closer to Election Day.
How late is too late to mail or drop off your California ballot? Can you still get in line just before polls close?
Here’s what you need to know about the ballot deadline:
When is Election Day in June 2026?
The 2026 primary election is on Tuesday, June 2.
Voters will cast ballots for open seats in federal races and key statewide offices including California governor.
When are voting centers open? When do polls close?
California voters can return their ballots at an Early Voting site starting onMonday, May 4.
On Election Day — Tuesday, June 2 — polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“No voters who arrive after the polls close may cast votes,” according to the California Secretary of State website.
At 8 p.m., county elections officials will begin tallying the results.
How late is too late to drop off a ballot in California?
According to California’s Voter Bill of Rights, you have the “right to vote if you are still in line when the polls close.”
“If a voter is in line to vote when the polls close they have the right to vote,” the California Secretary of State’s Office told The Sacramento Bee via email.
The latest time to get in line is 7:59 p.m.
“The lines will be cut off at 8 p.m.,” the California Secretary of State said.
If there’s still a line when polls close, a poll worker will stand at the end of the line to mark the cutoff, according to the California Secretary of State website.
“Any voter who arrives after the polls have closed may not be allowed to vote, even if voters who were in line to vote before the polls closed are in the process of voting,” the California Secretary of State said.
How late can I mail in my ballot?
When mailing in your ballot, the California Secretary of State said, the ballot “must be postmarked on or before Election Day” and received no later than seven days after Election Day.
When can I take my ballot to a drop-off location?
You can take your mail-in ballot to a drop box or a voting center no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, according to the California Secretary of State website.
You can find your nearest location on the California Secretary of State website.
Have a question about the 2026 primary election?
You can ask the California service journalism team by submitting questions directly to our reporters by emailing servicejournalists@sacbee.com or by filling out the form below.
We have reporters covering Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, San Luis Obispo and Merced.
This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 8:00 AM with the headline "How late can I mail my ballot for California primary election? Drop it off?."
