May 27, 2026 - Sacramento, Calif. – With the June 2, 2026, Primary Election quickly approaching, California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., reminds California voters that they have a Voter Bill of Rights to ensure they can cast a ballot easily, confidentially, and free from intimidation.

“Like we always do, California puts voters first—your right to vote is protected, and help is one call or click away,” said Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. 

The California Voter Bill of Rights, which is printed in the Voter Information Guide sent to every active registered voting household in the state, will be posted in every polling location and vote center.

The Voter Bill of Rights includes important voting rights information. For example, voters have the right to vote if they are a registered voter even if their name is not on the list at their polling place. If this is the case, they will be provided a provisional ballot, and their vote will be counted if elections officials determine they are eligible to vote.

Voters have the right to vote if they are still in line when the polls close. It is important that voters understand this right and don’t just walk away from their place in line because it is 8:00 p.m. PT on Election Day. Additionally, voters have the right to cast a secret ballot without anyone bothering them or telling them how to vote.

Voters have the right to get a new ballot if they have made a mistake and haven’t already cast their ballot. They also have the right to drop off their completed vote-by-mail ballot at any polling location or vote center in the state.

If a voter needs help at the polls, they have the right to ask questions of election officials about election procedures and they have the right to watch the election process. They also have the right to get help casting their ballot if needed.

Voters have the right to get election materials in a language other than English if enough people in their voting precinct speak that language.

It is also a right to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity to elections officials or the Secretary of State’s Office.

The Secretary of State’s Voter Information Hotline is available for all voters if they have questions about the voting process or if they need to report any illegal or fraudulent election activity. Voters can call one of the toll-free voter hotlines listed below:

•   (800) 345-VOTE (8683) – English

•   (800) 232-VOTA (8682) - Español / Spanish

•   (800) 339-2857 - 中文 / Chinese

•   (888) 345-2692 - हिन्दी / Hindi

•   (800) 339-2865 - 日本語 / Japanese

•   (888) 345-4917 - ខ្មែរ / Khmer

•   (866) 575-1558 - 한국어 / Korean

•   (800) 339-2957 - Tagalog

•   (855) 345-3933 - ภาษาไทย / Thai

•   (800) 339-8163 - Việt ngữ / Vietnamese

•    711 – TTY/TDD

The Voter Bill of Rights is also available online and available in ten languages: sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-bill-rights.

And Californians can learn about the state’s Voter Bill of Rights from the Secretary of State’s informational video. View the California Voter Bill of Rights video here: youtube.com/watch?v=rxCkKCLfdRw

Tips for Voters

Make a plan to vote. Decide how you will return your ballot. No matter which method you choose, you can find tools to cast your ballot at vote.ca.gov.

Sign your ballot return envelope. Your county elections office will compare that signature with the signature in your voter file before they count your ballot.

Find out where to drop off your ballot. A complete list of drop box locations can be found on the Secretary of State’s Early Voting and Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-off Locations webpage at caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. 

Use the official Voter Information Guide. Visit voterguide.sos.ca.gov for information about statewide candidates, when and where to cast your ballot, and your rights as a California voter.

Voters who are unsure if they are registered to vote can check their voter status online at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. If they missed the May 18, 2026, deadline to register to vote, or need to update their voter registration, they can use the Same Day Voter Registration process to cast a ballot. To do this, the voter should visit their county elections office or any vote center or polling place in your county of residence to register and vote in the June 2, 2026, Primary Election.

Voters who would like to track their ballot can sign up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to receive automated updates on the status of their vote-by-mail ballot by text message (SMS), email, or voice call.

Voting Options

There are many options for voters to return their voted ballot. Voters can:

• -Drop off their ballot at a secure designated drop box, polling location, vote center, or county elections office.
• -Return their ballot in-person. County elections officials offer early voting at their office, and many counties offer early voting at additional locations before Election Day.
• -By mail: To be counted, a mailed ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day (June 2, 2026) and received by June 9, 2026. If you mail your ballot, we recommend that you mail it early. In some locations, mail may not be postmarked by the United States Postal Service until the following day, and some postal locations do not transport mail on the date it is postmarked. If you do mail your ballot, it is recommended that you obtain a manual postmark from a postal employee inside your local United States Post Office and that you mail the ballot in advance of Election Day, June 2, 2026.

Upcoming California key dates and deadlines for the June 2, 2026, Primary Election can be found at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/primary-election-june-2-2026/key-dates-and-deadlines.

A full California Complete June 2, 2026, Primary Election Calendar is available at https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/statewide-elections/2026-primary/primary-election-calendar.pdf.

Source: CA. SoS