CA Statewide Primary Election - June 2, 2026

CA Statewide Primary Election - June 2, 2026

Young voter with I Voted sticker
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The California Statewide Primary Election will be held on June 2, 2026. 
 

Voting is easy! 

  1. Register to vote (new voters) or check your registration status (registered voters).
  2. See what’s on your ballot.
  3. Learn about the candidates and measures.
  4. Decide how you want to vote: drop off, mail or vote in-person.
  5. Sign up for Where's My Ballot to track the status of your ballot.
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Key dates: 

  • May 4: Ballots will be mailed by the county.
  • May 5: Ballot Drop Box locations open.
  • May 18: Last day to register to vote in order to receive a ballot in the mail. (You can register in person after this date.)
  • May 23: Last recommended day to mail your ballot using the U.S. Postal Service.
  • May 29: Early-in-person voting begins.
  • June 2: Election Day!
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Ways to Vote

All active California registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the Primary Election. 

Drop off your ballot at a secure drop box or voting location:

  • You must drop your completed ballot off no later than 8 PM on Election Day, June 2. 
  • See Contra Costa County 2026 Primary Election for the Official Ballot Drop Boxes and Regional Early Voting Sites lists.

Vote by US mail: 

  • To ensure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day, mail your ballot as soon as possible, at least 7-10 before the June 2. We recommend you mail your ballot by May 23.
  • If you are returning your ballot on Election Day, drop your ballot at any Official Ballot Drop Box or any Polling Place listed here.

*ALERT: MAIL YOUR BALLOT BACK EARLY! 
Beginning December 24, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service has changed how postmarks are applied. If you mail in your ballot, this change will affect whether your ballot is postmarked in time to be counted. Under the new process, USPS does not stamp mail when they receive it at your local post office. Instead, the “official” postmark date is whenever your envelope first hits an automated sorting machine at a regional processing center. As a result, the date shown on your envelope may be several days later than the day you placed it in the mail. To ensure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day, we recommend you mail your ballot by May 23.

Vote in-person on election day:

  • On Election Day, you can vote in person at any polling place within the county between 7:00 am and 8:00 pm. However, your pre-printed ballot type is only available at your designated polling place. You can find your assigned polling place printed on the back of your Voter Information Guide or by using the My Voting Information Look-up tool.
  • On Election Day, you may vote in person at the Elections office from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. The Elections office is located at 555 Escobar Street in Martinez.
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What's on the ballot?

The 2026 California Primary Election includes Federal, State, and local contests. The specific races that will be on your ballot depend on where you live. 

Use 411 to find your ballot and voting information

Vote411 logo

Enter your address here and click Get Started to see the candidates andmeasures that are on your ballot. You can also check your voter registration status, register to vote, check your election options and deadlines, and find your polling place and hours.

You can also use the VOTE411 widget at the bottom of the page or on the right menu bar to find your ballot and voting informaiton.

CA Top-Two Primary Election

California holds a "Top Two Primary." All candidates for State and Federal offices appear on a single ballot, regardless of their party registration, and all voters will see the same list of candidates, regardless of their own party registration. 

The top-two vote-getters move on to the General Election in November regardless of party affiliation or whether any candidate receives a majority of the votes. It is possible for two candidates from the same party to advance to the General Election.

For County and local offices, candidates who win 50%+1 of the votes in the Primary Election win the office and will not appear on the November ballot. If no candidate gets 50%+1 in the primary, the top two vote-getters move on to the General Election.

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Candidate Information

All registered voters will receive an Official Voter Information Guide from the state which includes  statements from the candidates. You can also find information about the candidates on VOTE411.

Candidate Forums and Debates

Candidate Forums, debates and interviews are also useful ways to learn about the candidates and their views.

LWVDV Events:
Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools - Candidate Forum 5/8/26 with East Bay Council/PTA, Concord (will be recorded)
Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools - Candidate Forum 5/9/26, with AKA Sorority, Concord (will be recorded)

Judicial Candidates Forum 4/30/26, with CC County Bar Assn, Pleasant Hill

Other Events: 
Statewide Candidate Forums - Various races and dates
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Ballot Measures

For Contra Costa County voters, the countywide measures on the June 2026 primary ballot are:
  • Measure A - Urban Limit Line renewal: Renews and modifies the county’s long-standing Urban Limit Line (ULL) through about 2051.
  • Measure B - County sales tax (transactions and use tax): Imposes a 0.625% countywide sales tax for 5 years.

Local measures (such as taxes, bonds, policies) may also appear on your ballot depending on your county and city.

To learn about the measures that will be on your ballot:
  • See the County Voter Information Guide which is mailed to every voter. It includes the Full ballot text, impartial analysis and official arguments for and against each measure.
  • Use VOTE411.
  • Watch for coverage in local news.
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Voter Resources

 

League to which this content belongs: 
Diablo Valley