Voter Guides:

• How To Choose A Political Party?
• Easy Voter Guide, available in 5 languages
• Pros and Cons - a nonpartisan explanation for each state proposition, with supporting and opposing arguments.
• League Ballot Recommendation:  League of Women Voters of California’s recommendations on the propositions appearing on the November 3, 2026 ballot. We base our recommendations on League positions developed through study and member consensus, and the LWVC Board of Directors carefully reviews each measure before taking a position.
• California State Voter Guide - Nov 3 2026 election
• California Secretary of State Elections Information - All kinds of voter information from the State website.
• VOTE411.org - look up your personalized ballot. Key in your address and zip code and get your entire ballot and polling place. Find information on candidates and ballot measures -- from the League and other nonpartisan sources. Archives of past elections available with election results.

• See Santa Barbara County's voting information on preparing to vote, voting (in person, by mail, if you've moved), voting rights, take a friend to vote, results of past elections, etc.

Where and How to Vote?

• Vote at a Polling Place
• Vote by Mail -The Post Office standard mail delivery can take up to 7 days to be delivered. We suggest you mail your ballot no later than 7 days prior to Election Day, so it can arrive by Election Day. Please be sure to sign and date your return envelope. Ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received within 7 days after Election Day will be accepted.
• Vote Using a Drop Box - We encourage voters to use one of the local ballot drop boxes before Election Day, or drop their ballot at a polling site on Election Day (November 3, 2026). If it is not possible to use either ballot box option, please mail your ballot throught the US Postal Service as early as you can.  It is recommended that you take it inside the Post Office to mail it.
• Military and Overseas Voting
• Remote Accessible Vote by Mail (RAVBM)
• Vote-by-Mail Forms

What Happens at the Polling Place?

1) Go to the Check-In station where the check-in officer will use the ePollbook (an electronic roster) to look up and verify voter's information, and then have the voter sign in using the touch screen. A ticket will then print, and the voter will be directed to the ballot issue workstation.

2) Receive your ballot from the ballot issue officer who is responsible for issuing the proper ballot to voters. The polling place may have ballots for multiple precincts, and a voter's precinct determines which ballot they should receive.

3) Mark your ballot

4) Return your ballot at the ballot reception workstation. The ballot reception officer monitors ballots as they are returned. They are responsible for tallying all returned regular ballots, vote by mail ballots, and provisional ballots.

California has Same Day Voter Registration

• Eligible citizens who miss a voter registration deadline still have the option to participate. You can register and vote provisionally 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day. 

• You can complete this process to register and vote at a county elections office, polling place, or vote center. Your ballot will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.

• Visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov for a list of early voting locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration Process.

• Need to register on Election Day? Use our polling place lookup tool to find your local polling location.

• Have additional questions about locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration process? Contact your county elections office.

In elections conducted by your county elections official, you can “conditionally” register and vote at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline. For more information please go to Same Day Voter Registration.