Election 2024: Find Your Early Voting Site or Ballot Drop-Off Location

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The 2024 general election is almost upon us, and your ballot should have arrived in your mailbox by now. (And if it hasn’t, read our guide to what to do if your ballot has gone missing.)

While Election Day itself is Tuesday, Nov. 5, you have several options for where to vote before then — especially now that early voting locations are opening up around the Bay Area starting Saturday, Oct. 26.

So keep reading if you’re a Bay Area resident wondering where to drop off your completed mail-in ballot, where you can vote early in person or how to find your polling place on Election Day itself.

And if you’re looking for information about what’s on your ballot, take a look at KQED’s Voter Guide, which unpacks ballot measures and compares candidates in every race in the Bay Area.

Jump straight to:

• How to find my early voting site or ballot drop-off location
• How to find my polling place for Election Day
• How to contact my county directly about voting

If you’re concerned you might have made a mistake when filling out your ballot, you can also read our guide to addressing common errors on your ballot (before you mail it) — and find out how to get a fresh ballot or vote in person if you really messed up.

Can I mail my ballot through the Postal Service?

Yes, you can mail your completed ballot via the U.S. Postal Service at any regular collection box. The envelope is postage paid, so it doesn’t require a stamp, and it’ll be counted as long as it’s postmarked by Election Day (Nov. 5) and arrives at your county registrar’s office by Nov. 12.

• Tell us: What else do you need to know about voting in the 2024 general election right now?

If you’re planning to mail your ballot on Election Day, be very sure you don’t miss the last collection time for that specific mailbox (which at many locations is 5 p.m. or earlier). You also shouldn’t drop off your ballot on Election Day at a post office that’s already closed. Doing either will mean your ballot will not be postmarked on Election Day and won’t be counted when it reaches your county’s election office.

Can I drop off my ballot in a drop box or at a voting location?

Once you complete your mail-in ballot, you can drop it off at an official drop box or voting location instead of mailing it via a U.S. Postal Service collection box. Ballot drop boxes open on Oct. 8.

Find your nearest drop box or voting location.

A few reasons you might prefer to hand-deliver your completed ballot:

• Peace of mind: There’s a satisfaction that comes with knowing your ballot should now travel straight to your county elections office rather than going through USPS collection and sorting for delivery
• Timing: If Election Day is drawing near, using a drop box or a voting location to drop off your ballot directly is the best way to be sure it’ll reach your county elections office in time to be counted
• Assistance: If you drop off your ballot at a voting location during operating hours and you have a few lingering questions about your ballot or the process, chances are good that you’ll find someone there to help answer them

Regardless of how you deliver it, you can sign up to track your ballot’s progress with the “Where’s My Ballot?” online tool and be reassured it’s on its way to being counted.

And if you’re still waiting to receive your ballot entirely, you can use that same tool to verify it was sent out or use voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.

I want to vote in person. When is early voting available in the Bay Area?

As of Oct. 5, in-person voting is available at every county registrar’s office (also known as your county’s elections office) in the Bay Area. Find your county registrar’s office and opening hours.

More early voting locations are open across the Bay Area starting Oct. 26. Find where to vote early in your county and when those locations open.

Remember: If you’d like to cast a ballot in person, it’s a good idea to bring the blank ballot you were mailed, as some counties may require you to vote provisionally if you don’t bring it. If you’re issued a new ballot when you vote in person, any ballot you left at home will be canceled.

Provisional votes are subject to extra checks — confirming that you’re actually registered to vote in California, or that you didn’t already complete and mail your ballot — and this extra layer of confirmation takes time. That means that although your vote will eventually be counted, it might not be tallied on Election Day itself.

The deadline to register to vote online at registertovote.ca.gov was Oct. 21, but if you missed it don’t worry: You can still register in person at your county elections office or an open voting location after that via same-day registration (also known as conditional voter registration). This system enables you to fill out and submit your ballot then and there, up until when polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Read more about registering (or re-registering) to vote in person.

In addition to voter registration, many voting locations also offer replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance.

How can I find my early voting site or ballot drop-off?

• Visit the state of California lookup tool, where you will:
  • Enter your county (adding your city or ZIP code will give more localized results, but it’s optional)
  • Check the “Early Voting” and/or “Drop Off Location” boxes
  • Hit “Search” to see all the early voting and drop-off locations in that area

If you vote early in your county, remember that voting hours may differ by location, and some locations may not be open every day.

Where can I vote in person on Election Day?

If you live in San Francisco, Contra Costa or Solano counties, you are assigned a specific polling place, though Contra Costa County election officials say they can process your ballot no matter where you show up to vote. Voting at the county registrar’s office (at City Hall, in San Francisco’s case) is still an option on Election Day.

If you live in Alameda, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara or Sonoma counties, you can vote at any voting location, known as Vote Centers, including your county registrar’s office.

You can find your voting location through the state’s lookup tool, although please note that this information may only become available closer to Election Day.

If you’re hoping to vote in person, be sure to check your mail-in ballot well before Election Day to see where you can vote and whether you’ve been assigned a specific polling place. And again, remember: Even if you live in a county that assigns you a particular polling place, you can still vote at your county registrar’s office.

How can I contact my county directly about voting?

Across the Bay Area, elections officials are encouraging voters to reach out — early — with any questions or concerns. Here’s the contact information for your county:

• Alameda: For information about voting by mail, registration and polling place lookup, call 510-267-8683.
• Contra Costa: Call 925-335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us.
• Marin: Call 415-473-6456 or go to the Marin County elections webpage to send a form email.
• Napa: Call 707-253-4321 or email the elections office at elections@countyofnapa.org.
• San Francisco: Call 415-554-4375 or email sfvote@sfgov.org.
• San Mateo: Call 888-762-8683 or email registrar@smcacre.org.
• Santa Clara: Call toll-free at 866-430-VOTE (8683)​ or email registrar@rov.sccgov.org.
• Solano: Call 707-784-6675 or 888-933-VOTE (8683). You can also email elections@solanocounty.com.
• Sonoma: Call 707-565-6800 or toll-free at 800-750-8683.

The state also has a full list of every county elections office in California.

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At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19, how to cope with intense winter weather, and how to exercise your right to protest safely.

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