Californians have until 8 p.m. to cast 2026 midterm ballots

The 2026 midterm elections reach their final hours as voters across California prepare to cast their ballots. Election officials say the deadline for in-person voting is 8 p.m. today. Anyone already in line at a vote center before that time will be allowed to vote. Those who arrive after 8 p.m. must wait for the next opportunity.

Voters in Los Angeles and Orange counties have flexible options for in-person voting. Residents can choose any vote center within their specific county. These locations operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today. For those who have already marked their ballots, dropboxes remain open until the same 8 p.m. cutoff. Voters must ensure their ballot envelopes are signed and dated before placing them in the box.

The California secretary of state’s office reports that more than 6.4 million registered voters have already cast ballots. This number includes nearly 1.4 million voters in Los Angeles County and approximately 600,800 in Orange County. These early voters used a mix of mail and in-person methods. The total number of registered voters in the state exceeds 23 million.

Mail voting remains a viable option but comes with strict deadlines. Ballots must be postmarked by today. They must also be received by local election offices within seven days of Election Day. Officials strongly advise voters to walk into a post office to get their ballots postmarked immediately. This step helps prevent rejections due to late postmarks. During the June primary, the attorney general’s office recorded 148,241 rejected mail ballots. Nearly two-thirds of these rejections occurred because ballots were postmarked after Election Day or failed to arrive by the deadline.

Citizens who are eligible to vote but not yet registered can use the state’s conditional voter registration process. They may register or re-register at their county elections office, a polling place, or a vote center. They can then cast a ballot. However, election officials will not process or count these ballots until the registration application is verified and approved. This adds a layer of administrative review before the vote is officially tallied.

Voters can track the status of their ballots through the state’s online tracker. The tool, called Where’s My Ballot, is available at california.ballottrax.net. It shows whether a local election office has received and processed a specific ballot. This system allows voters to confirm their participation without waiting for final results.

Election results will begin appearing shortly after voting ends at 8 p.m. These initial figures are partial and will not reflect the entire electorate. Local election officials have until Dec. 3 to certify their county’s results. The California secretary of state has until Dec. 11 to certify all statewide results. Tight races may take several days to resolve as officials complete this certification process.

Residents can locate nearby vote centers and dropboxes using online maps. Los Angeles County voters should visit locator.lavote.gov to find a center or dropbox. The site provides a map of centers and a separate link for dropboxes. Orange County voters should check ocvote.gov/elections/vote-center-locations for addresses. These resources help voters plan their route to the polls before the 8 p.m. deadline.