California election officials urge early ballot mailing

As the November 3, 2026, election approaches, California officials and the U.S. Postal Service are advising voters to mail their ballots early to ensure timely delivery. State officials, including Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, recommend mailing completed ballots at least one week before Election Day.

Under California law, ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received by election offices no later than seven days after the election to be counted. To mitigate delays, the USPS will implement additional measures starting October 24, including extra collections, special pickups, and expedited processing. The agency reported a 97.98% on-time delivery rate for ballot mail through October 9.

Voters who choose to mail ballots on Election Day are encouraged to visit a post office retail counter to request a free manual postmark, as collection box postmarks may not always reflect the actual date of deposit. Officials also suggest using official ballot drop boxes or early voting locations as alternatives.