No excuse is needed to vote by mail in California. Due to COVID-19, all registered voters in California will automatically receive vote by mail ballots for the November 2020 election, so you do not need to request a vote by mail ballot. Register to vote or check your registration status to ensure you receive your ballot.
Typically, you can request a ballot by mail with this application form, in person at the county elections office, or in some counties, over the phone. California counties that have adopted the California Voter’s Choice Act use a vote-by-mail system for all elections, meaning that every registered voter receives a ballot in the mail 28 days before Election Day. As of 2020, these counties are: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne.
Click here to track your California vote by mail ballot.
To return your California absentee ballot, mail it to your county election official, return it in person to a polling place or count elections office, or authorize someone else to return your ballot on your behalf.
