It's Election Day, though that means something very different in 2020.
More than 11 million Californians have already voted after the state sent out mail-in ballots to every active registered voter in October.
"Think of Tuesday, November 3 as the last day to vote," California Secretary of State Alex Padilla told CapRadio's Insight. "With so many options to voting early, by mail or in person, we're really encouraging people to vote early, if they can, and avoid those lines."
It's also likely we may not know the outcomes of many races tonight. Mail-in ballots can take longer to count, and California will accept ballots up to 17 days after they arrive, as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3.
Whether you have already voted or still need to register (which you can do on Election Day in California), here's what you need to know on Election Day.
When Are The Polls Open On Election Day?
In California, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
How Do I Register On Election Day?
Californians can register conditionally on Election Day until 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can do this at your polling place or any vote center, if your county has them. You’ll receive a conditional voter registration because the traditional registration deadline has passed, but you can still cast a provisional ballot which will be counted once your eligibility is verified.
How Do I Vote In-Person?
Here's a guide to what to expectat the polls this year. Here are some tips:
- Election officials suggest you bring your mail-in ballot, but it is not required.
- If you've voted by mail, you can't change your vote.
- You can call the Secretary of State’s voter hotline 1-800-345-VOTE to get answers about where and how to vote and to document complaints about voter intimidation or harassment.
Additionally, counties are taking precautions again COVID-19. Here's what to do to protect yourself:
- Wear a mask.
- Stay at least six feet from others when plexiglass is not present.
- Bring your own hand sanitizer.
- Consider bringing a face shield or goggles.
- Go to the polls by yourself, don’t bring children or other household members.
Can I Still Turn In My Mail-In Ballot?
Yes. You can turn in your mail-in ballot at your polling location or ballot drop box until 8 p.m. You can look up official ballot drop box locations here, or find a map of authorized locations in Sacramento, Yolo, Place and El Dorado counties here.
Here are some tips to make sure your mail-in ballot is counted.
How Can I Research My Ballot?
We put together a California 2020 Election Voter Guide with information on each race. Simply enter your address and get information for the races on your ballot.
You can also research each of the 12 California propositions here, including 1-minute videos on each of the issues.
When Will Results Be Released?
California and counties will start releasing results after the polls are closed at 8 p.m., but timing will vary by county. For example, Sacramento County will release results at 8:15 p.m., 10 p.m. and midnight on Election Night, then at 2 a.m. Wednesday. It will then update results every Friday at 4 p.m. until Dec. 1.
Counties have been able to process ballots that arrived early to check signatures, remove them from envelopes and feed them into counting computers. Officials are not allowed to tally votes until after 8 p.m.
The first batch of results will include mail-in ballots counties were able to prepare for the count — likely those that came in before this past weekend — and those cast in-person on Election Day. Later releases will include mail-in ballots that were processed after Election Day and any provisional ballots.
Where Can I Find Results?
We will be updating results live starting at 8 p.m. We will also be reporting estimates for the number of ballots left to count, to give a clearer picture of how complete results are.
Follow our friend, CapRadio's updates from California in their Election Day Live Blog here.