SACRAMENTO — With the 2024 general election just around the corner, Californians are gearing up to vote for a number of key positions, such as president, U.S. senators and representatives.
They’ll also make their voices known on a number of ballot propositions.
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How soon after Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 5 — will California voters know who won and which measures passed?
A reader asked Sacramento Bee journalists with How To California, a community-driven series to help readers navigate life in the Golden State: “How do (officials) give election results in 24 hours when some of the mail-in ballots may have not reached county election (offices) by Nov. 12?”
RELATED: Where can I find a mailbox for my vote-by-mail ballot?
So, when will complete election results be available to California residents?
Here’s what to know:
When will California find out results for 2024 general election?
Due to a new state law, results of the general election will be delayed.
Assembly Bill 3184, which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 22, amends the California Elections Code to clarify the deadline for voters who need to “cure” their vote-by-mail ballots, typically due to missing or mismatched signatures.
“Typically, the code says their deadline is two days before we certify, which is kind of up in the air,” Donna Linder, the Stanislaus County registrar of voters, previously told The Modesto Bee. “So what they’ve done is they’ve created a certification date for all counties throughout the state.”
The certification date for California’s general election results has been set for Dec. 3 to align with the state’s new regulations, Linder said.
When can I vote in presidential election?
County elections officials in California have already mailed ballots to active registered voters for the 2024 presidential election, according to the California Secretary of State’s voter guide.
People watch the presidential debate between former US president and Republican nominee Donald Trump and US Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris during a debate watch party reflected in a mirror at The Continental Club on September 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by ROBYN BECK/ AFP/AFP via Getty Images)
Ballot drop-off locations are also open, according to the California Secretary of State website.
When can I vote in person?
Poll centers open Saturday, Oct. 26, for early in-person voting in all participating Voter’s Choice Act counties.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5, according to the Secretary of State site.
Voters who arrive after the polls close at 8 p.m. cannot cast a ballot, but folks already in line “have the right to vote,” California’s Voter Bill of Rights states.
What’s the deadline for mailing or dropping off my ballot?
Mail-in ballots can be returned by mail or dropped off at your county elections office, the California Secretary of State said on its election website.
Containers of mail-in ballots destined for Shasta County, California at Runbeck Election Services on September 25, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The company prints mail-in ballots for 30 states and Washington D.C. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
You can also take your ballot to any poll place, drop-off location or designated drop box in the state before 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
When is the last day to vote in California?
Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by a county elections office no later than seven days after Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 12, according to the California Secretary of State.
“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 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day,” the California Secretary of State website says.
To track a vote-by-mail ballot, voters can sign up online to receive status alerts through text, email or calls.
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