The answer is, "it depends." Alpine and Sierra counties have mail-in-ballot-only elections and cover the cost of postage. Until very recently, the only other county that paid the cost of postage voluntarily was San Francisco.
But the tide is turning, says Kim Alexander, president and founder of the California Voter Foundation.
"Santa Cruz is covering postage for the first time this year," Alexander says. "It's an important new trend!"
In addition, Alexander says other counties, mostly in the Bay Area, also pay for postage now. They include Marin, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Plumas counties.
If you're not in one of those counties, how much postage do you use? It's not as straightforward as you might think.
"I’ve found that in Alameda the county advises voters to affix two 'forever' stamps if they are voting three cards, and three 'forever' stamps if they are voting four cards," Alexander says. She adds that Los Angeles County says one stamp is enough, while Contra Costa, Sacramento and San Diego counties are advising 68 cents worth of postage.
Adding to potential confusion, says Alexander, Sacramento's return envelope says "place stamp here," even though more than one stamp is required.
But don't worry too much about your vote not counting for lack of postage.
"The counties all have agreements with the post offices to cover insufficient postage costs, but most voters don't know that," Alexander says.
Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed SB 450, which will allow some counties to hold all-mail-in ballot elections starting in 2018, with regional polling centers replacing neighborhood polling places.
Alexander's organization had serious concerns about SB 450 in part because it didn't require counties to pay the cost of postage if they opt-in to all mail elections.
"A lot of people look at having to pay postage to mail in ballots as a kind of poll tax," Alexander says, "while others see it as a convenience, and if you don't want to use your own stamp you can just go to your polling place."
Here's a round-up of postage requirements in Bay Area counties:
Alameda
Postage? Additional postage will be required to return your vote-by-mail ballot envelope by mail.
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Contra Costa
Postage? Yes. Two stamps. BUT if you live in a precinct that has less than 250 voters, you and all the voters in your precinct may be sent a vote-by-mail ballot. For this type of ballot, you will receive a postage-paid envelope in which to return your ballot.
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Marin
Postage: Not required. Postage paid.
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Napa
Postage: Yes and no. Depends on what kind of vote-by-mail voter you are. If you are a permanent VBM voter, you are required to pay postage.
If you VBM because you live in an area without a polling place, you don’t have to pay postage.
If you were required to pay postage and accidentally forgot to, the post office is instructed to forward your ballot to Napa County and they will pay for your postage.
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San Francisco
Postage: Postage paid.
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San Mateo
Postage: Postage paid.
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Santa Clara
Postage: Postage paid.
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Solano County
Postage: Yes and no, depending on where you live. If you don’t have a precinct in your area, you should have a postage-paid ballot. If not, your ballot requires one regular stamp.
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Sonoma County
Postage: Return postage for "Mailed Ballot Only" voters is paid by the Registrar of Voters Office.
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Ericka Cruz Guevarra contributed to this report.
Update: This story was changed to reflect the fact that the California Voter Foundation did not oppose SB 450 but rather was neutral on it. Also Alpine and Sierra counties are not compelled to pay postage for mail-in ballots. They do so voluntarily.
