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Key 2026 dates
| Oct. 5 | Deadline for counties to start sending mail-in ballots. Early voting sites open. |
| Oct. 19 | Last day to register to vote. (You can still conditionally register to vote beyond this date, but you must do it in person. Check your registration status here.) |
| Oct. 24 | Select Vote Centers open across Los Angeles and Orange County for in-person voting. (See LAVote.gov and OCVote.gov for locations.) |
| Late October | To make sure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day, election officials recommend mailing it at least 7 days in advance. |
| Oct. 31 | All Vote Centers open across L.A. and O.C. |
| Nov. 3 | Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
Nov. 10 | Final day for ballots postmarked on or before Election Day to be received by county election officials. |
How to track your ballot: https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/
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Orange County voter guides
Statewide
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A federal judge seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s demands that California election officials set aside 20,000 ballots. -
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From registering to vote, to the holes in your return envelope and how to find your polling place, LAist's Voter Game Plan has you covered for the Nov. 3 midterm election. -
A panel of federal judges questioned the timing, constitutionality and authority of the Justice Department’s demand that election officials set aside thousands of ballots.
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Thousands of observers are expected to descend on polling places to monitor the vote on Election DayDemocrats and outside watchdogs are planning a massive presence at the polls on Election Day. -
Proposition 45 is intended to make it easier to build. But some pro-housing groups think it will create sprawl, which they don't like. -
Support for California's ballot measures faces a sharp age gap, especially the billionaire tax. -
The Friday letters came on the heels of statewide sweep by federal authorities earlier in the week. -
Prop. 2 supporters want to boost California’s budget reserves for a rainy day, but opponents say saving more would only embolden state leaders to spend more. -
The judge found the department's field operations to identify noncitizens who voted likely violated the Voting Rights Act, which bars voter intimidation. -
The lawsuit seeks a court order barring the administration from purging legally registered voters from statewide voter registration lists. -
California’s Prop 3 asks voters to extend a tax on those making more than $371,000. The money will fund schools, healthcare and other services.
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The ruling denies a request by California Republicans and the Trump administration for a preliminary injunction blocking the maps created by Proposition 50. -
The vote isn't certified yet, but a lot has happened since Election Day. -
Statewide turnout was 50%. It was lower in L.A. County and higher in Orange County.
