Want to cast your ballot in person? Need a replacement ballot or help registering to vote?
You’re in luck: The first batch of vote centers open for California’s special election on redistricting on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Vote centers offer a range of services. They are places for people to return their ballots in person, rather than by mail or at a drop box. But voters can also find help for their voting-related issues, obtain a replacement ballot, or register to vote and cast a provisional ballot.
Related: Southern California’s guide to Prop. 50, the 2025 redistricting election
Many vote centers open this weekend; another set of vote centers open on Saturday, Nov. 1. Check your county elections offices for specific locations and hours of operation.
On Election Day, Nov. 4, vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Remember, if you’re in line to vote at 8 p.m., you can stay in line and still vote.)
Keep in mind, not every county conducts elections under California’s Voter’s Choice Act, which expands early, in-person voting and utilizes vote centers as options for voters.
In Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties operate under this model, as well as San Diego and Ventura counties.
San Bernardino County conducts elections using the traditional polling place model, though it does offer early voting sites available for residents. And with the use of electronic poll pads for voter check-in, said spokesperson David Wert, registered voters can cast their ballot at any polling place in the county.
You can find the nearest early voting or drop-off location through the California secretary of state’s website at www.caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. Simply input your county — you can also narrow your search by adding your city or ZIP code — and view nearby results in a list or on a map.
And aside from vote centers, secure drop boxes are also available for voters to cast a ballot.
Ballots, which were mailed to every registered voter at the beginning of October, can also be returned via U.S. Postal Service. They come with prepaid postage and return envelopes, and must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and arrive to county elections offices no later than seven days after Nov. 4, to be counted.
Find more information at your county elections office:
• L.A. County: www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections
• Orange County: www.ocvote.gov
• Riverside County: www.voteinfo.net
• San Bernardino County: www.elections.sbcounty.gov
Staff writer Jeff Horseman contributed to this report.