https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail/vbm-nov2020-general-election/

Register to Vote

In order to be sent a vote-by-mail ballot, you must be a registered voter. If you believe you are already registered, you can verify your registration online with our “My Voter Status” tool.

If you are not already registered, you can register online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov. As part of registering to vote, you are given the option to become a “permanent vote-by-mail voter,” which means you would automatically receive a ballot in the mail before each election.

Voting By Mail

Pursuant to Executive Order N-64-20, all registered voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 3, 2020, General Election. Registered voters do not have to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot for this election.

Instead of going to the polls on Election Day, you may vote using the vote-by-mail ballot that will be sent to you.

After you have voted, insert your ballot in the envelope provided, making sure you complete all required information on the envelope.

You may return your voted ballot by

1. mailing it to your county elections official;
   • Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 17 days after Election Day.
   • If you are not sure your vote-by-mail ballot will arrive in time if mailed, bring it to any polling place in the state between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
2. returning it in person to a polling place or the office of your county elections official;
   • Vote-by-mail ballots that are personally delivered must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
3. dropping your ballot into one of your county’s ballot drop boxes; or
   • Vote-by-mail ballots that are personally delivered to a ballot drop-off location must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
4. authorizing someone to return the ballot on your behalf.
   • Anyone may return your ballot for you, as long as they do not get paid on a per ballot basis. In order for your ballot to be counted, you must fill out the authorization section found on the outside of your ballot envelope.

When your vote-by-mail ballot is received by your county elections official, your signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your voter registration card to ensure they match. To preserve the secrecy of your ballot, the ballot will then be separated from the envelope, and then it will be tallied.

All valid vote-by-mail ballots are counted in every election in California, regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race. For additional information on how and when ballots are verified and tabulated, please visit our description of how the official canvass of the vote is completed.

Voting for the First Time

When you registered to vote, you were asked to fill in your driver license number, California identification number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you did not include this information when you registered, send a photocopy of some personal identification with your Vote-by-Mail Application or to your county elections official before the election.

A copy of a recent utility bill, the county Voter Information Guide you received from your county elections office, or another document sent to you by a government agency are examples of acceptable forms of identification. Other examples include your passport, driver license, official California identification card, or student identification card.