PRESS RELEASE

PR26-134
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2026

The Office of the California Secretary of State Reminds Voters that State Law Allows Time Off to Vote on Election Day
 

Sacramento, Calif. – The office of the California Secretary of State reminds voters that California law allows up to two hours off work to vote if someone is unable to do so during non-work hours.

California law allows workers up to two hours off, without a loss of pay, to vote if they do not have enough time to vote during non-work hours. The law requires workers to notify their employer two working days before Election Day if they need to take time off to vote.

Every California employer is required to post, in a visible location, a notice informing employees of their rights at least 10 days before an election. The California Office of the Secretary of State offers free, print-ready notices in 10 languages at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/time-vote-notices/.

Polling locations will be open from 7:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

California voters have options for returning their voted ballots—secure drop boxes, at a polling location or vote center, or through the United States Post Office. Given recent changes to postal service operations, the California Office of the Secretary of State recommends voters mailing their ballot to do so as soon as possible because they need to postmarked by Election Day and received no later than seven calendar days after Election Day to be counted.

Voters can find more information about where they can return their ballot at https://caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov/ and can track their ballot by signing up for Where’s My Ballot?

Voters can visit vote.ca.gov for voter additional information about the upcoming election.

Voters with questions can contact their county elections office or call one of the State’s toll-free hotlines, available in several languages:

  • (800) 345-VOTE (8683) – English
  • (800) 232-VOTA (8682) - español / Spanish
  • (800) 339-2857 - 中文 / Chinese
  • (888) 345-2692 - हिन्दी / Hindi
  • (800) 339-2865 - 日本語 / Japanese
  • (888) 345-4917 - ខ្មែរ / Khmer
  • (866) 575-1558 - 한국어 / Korean
  • (800) 339-2957 - Tagalog
  • (855) 345-3933 - ภาษาไทย / Thai
  • (800) 339-8163 - Việt ngữ / Vietnamese
  • 711 – TTY/TDD

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Click here for key dates and deadlines for the November 3, 2026, General Election.

 

Click here for the full November 3, 2026, General Election Calendar.