- All active California registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the Primary Election.
- Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.
How the Statewide Primary Election Works in California
In this “primary” election, voters will choose which two candidates will move on to the “general” election in November. For the following offices, you may choose any candidate on your ballot, from any political party. The two candidates with the most votes will run against each other in November. It is possible that those two candidates will be from the same political party.
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Secretary of State
- Controller
- Treasurer
- Attorney General
- Insurance Commissioner
- Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Representative in U.S. Congress (2-Year term).
- State Senator (4-Year term; even-numbered districts will be voted on in this election)
- State Assembly Member (2-Year term)
- State Board of Equalization (state tax commission; 4-Year term).
There may be other local government candidates or judges on your ballot depending on where you live. The county elections office will mail you a County Voter Information Guide that lists everything that you can vote on.
Key dates:
- The last day to register to vote for the June 2, 2026, Primary Election is May 18, 2026.
- The county elections office will begin mailing ballots by May 4, 2026.
- Ballot drop-off locations open on May 5, 2026.
- Vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties beginning on May 23, 2026.
- Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by June 9, 2026. We recommend that ballots be mailed by May 23 to ensure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day.
MAIL YOUR BALLOT BACK EARLY!
Due to recent changes in postmark processing, the postmark date now reflects when the mail is processed at a regional facility, not the date it was deposited in a blue mailbox or dropped off at the post office. Time-sensitive documents like election ballots should be mailed several days before the actual deadline to allow for potential processing delays.
To ensure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day, make sure to mail it at least five days before 6/2/26. We recommend that ballots be mailed by May 23. If mailing on Election Day, request a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a United States Post Office.
Resources:
- Contra Costa County Elections - June 2, 2026 Primary
- CA Secretary of State Election Information
- Easy Voter Guide
- Elections and Voting (LWVDV)
Check WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov to find out where your ballot is in the process and when it has been accepted.