All 14 contests walked through

Before you seal it: the envelope checklist

Most mail ballots that get rejected fail here, not on the choices. Go down the list:

1. 1Mark your ballot and put it in the official return envelopeUse the envelope that came with your ballot. Nothing else goes in except your marked ballot.
2. 2Sign the return envelope — in your own handwritingYour signature is checked against the signature on your voter registration (for most people, the signature on their driver's license). A missing or non-matching signature is one of the top reasons California mail ballots are rejected — and the easiest one to prevent. Sign it the way you signed when you registered.
3. 3Date the envelopeWrite today's date next to your signature.
4. 4Seal itSeal the envelope before it leaves your hands.
5. 5Return it on time — pick oneThe most common reason mail ballots are rejected is arriving late, so do not wait. Mail it so it is postmarked by Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (no stamp needed) and arrives by November 10. Or drop it at any official ballot drop box, vote center, or your county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
6. 6Track your ballotSign up for BallotTrax at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to get text or email updates when your ballot is received and counted — and an alert if there is a signature problem. If your county flags your signature, you can fix it ('cure' it) — this cycle's cure deadline is November 25, 2026 at 5 p.m.