Golden State Today

The California Secretary of State's office has begun reporting ballot return statistics for the upcoming November 5, 2024, General Election. According to the latest data, over 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots have already been returned by voters across the state.

"California is offering more days and more ways to vote. And more Californians are voting early,” stated Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. She encouraged those who have not yet voted to make a plan, noting that ballots can be returned by mail or at any official secure ballot drop box, voting location, or county elections office.

Voters can access the November 5 election returns in PDF or Excel format on the Secretary of State's website at sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/general-election-nov-5-2024. The statistics provided are sourced from VoteCal, the statewide voter registration database maintained by county elections officials.

It is important to note that these reports only include return statistics and do not contain information about election results. Results will begin posting after 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Election Day.

Voters are advised to make a plan for returning their ballots and can find tools to assist with this process at vote.ca.gov. It is essential to sign the vote-by-mail ballot envelope as county elections offices will verify signatures before counting ballots.

A comprehensive list of drop box locations is available on the Early Voting and Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-off Locations webpage at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. Voters can also refer to the official Voter Information Guide for details on Senate races, state propositions, and voting rights at voterguide.sos.ca.gov.

To check voter registration status online, individuals can visit voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. Additionally, voters wishing to track their vote-by-mail ballot status can sign up for updates via text message (SMS), email, or voice call at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.