PRESS RELEASE

PR26-67
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2026
Contact: sospress@sos.ca.gov
 

 California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., Announces that Vote Centers are Now Open in 30 California Counties
 

Sacramento, Calif. – California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., announced that vote centers will open for early in-person voting today, Saturday, May 23, 2026, in 30 California counties. Vote centers are open ahead of Election Day to allow voters to vote in person, get a replacement ballot, register and vote the same day, or drop off their completed ballots.

“Think of Election Day as the last day to vote—not the only day. Like we always do, California gives voters more days and more ways to participate.” said Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. "Ensure you vote by the deadline!"

Some vote centers will begin to open 10 days before the election, with additional centers opening 4 days before and continuing through Election Day. To find early vote center locations or official ballot drop boxes, visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. The counties with early in-person voting are part of the California Voter's Choice Act, a state program that provides voters in specific counties the opportunity to vote at centralized locations throughout their county.

Additional Information

• The complete list of the 30 counties with early voting centers can be found at sos.ca.gov/voters-choice-act/vca-participating-counties.
   
• Voters unsure of their registration status can check online at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
   
• More than 1.7 million ballots have already been returned. Ballot return statistics are available at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026.
   
• Active registered voters can track their ballots by signing up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to receive automated updates, including whether their ballot has been received, counted, or needs correction.

All Voting Options

There are many options for voters to return their voted ballot. Voters can:

• -Drop off their ballot at a secure designated drop box, polling location, vote center, or county elections office.
• -Return their ballot in-person. County elections officials offer early voting at their offices, and many counties offer early voting at additional locations before Election Day.
• -By mail: To be counted, a mailed ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day (June 2, 2026) and received by June 9, 2026. If you mail your ballot, we recommend that you mail it early. In some locations, mail may not be postmarked by the United States Postal Service until the following day, and some postal locations do not transport mail on the date it is postmarked. If you do mail your ballot, it is recommended that you obtain a manual postmark from a postal employee inside your local United States Post Office and that you mail the ballot in advance of Election Day, June 2, 2026.

Upcoming California key dates and deadlines for the June 2, 2026, Primary Election can be found at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026/key-dates-and-deadlines.

A full California Complete June 2, 2026, Primary Election Calendar is available at https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/statewide-elections/2026-primary/primary-election-calendar.pdf.

###