MARTINEZ, CA – JUNE 7: Cynthia Price Peters, 79, drops off her and her husband’s ballot outside the Contra Costa County Elections Department on Election Day in Martinez, Calif., on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Election Day is upon us, and it looks like many of us haven’t yet returned those ballots that were mailed out last month for California’s Primary.
In fact, according to voter data firm Political Data Inc., 18.8 million of the 21.9 million ballots mailed out — 86% — have yet to be returned.
Ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day, June 7, so no later than Tuesday you have to get it into the mailbox before the carrier comes or to the post office before it closes. It must be received by June 14. Postage is covered so you don’t need a stamp. But don’t forget to put the ballot into the envelope and sign the envelope before sending it.
Counties have set up drop boxes to collect ballots. The state has an online tool to help you find them, where you can enter your county, city or ZIP code and find drop boxes and other voting locations near you. Ballots must be dropped off in the boxes by 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 7.
You can track your ballot online at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov. The tracking app will send you a text when your ballot is received and counted.
Bay Area News Group’s John Woolfolk contributed to this report.
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SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – June 07: David Steele of San Jose fills out his ballot at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters in San Jose, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) MARTINEZ, CA – JUNE 7: Ray Torralba transfers ballots during the sorting process at the Contra Costa County Elections Department on Election Day in Martinez, Calif., on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – June 07: A sign is displayed outside the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters in San Jose, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 7: Poll worker Gayla Newsome, left, watches as Sammy Maramba, right, drops his ballot in a collection box in a polling station at the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – June 07: Jose Medeiros of San Jose talks with this news organization at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters in San Jose, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group) MARTINEZ, CA – JUNE 7: James Calvin Austin Jr., 65, of Martinez, casts a ballot at a polling place located inside the Contra Costa County Elections Department on Election Day in Martinez, Calif., on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
MARTINEZ, CA – JUNE 7: Ellen Frank, of Martinez, drops off a ballot outside the Contra Costa County Elections Department on Election Day in Martinez, Calif., on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 7: Stickers are photographed at a polling station in the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 7: Fely Maramba-Ferrell puts her ballot in a collection box in a polling station at the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
MARTINEZ, CA – JUNE 7: Ballots pass through a scanning machine during the sorting process at the Contra Costa County Elections Department on Election Day in Martinez, Calif., on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 7: James Schumacher, left, votes at a polling station in the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in Oakland, Calif. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – June 07: While a voter watches from inside the car, a Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters’ election worker, Demetria Ruiz, puts the ballot into the ballot box for the voter at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters in San Jose, Calif., on June 7, 2022. (Dai Sugano/Bay Area News Group)
Jane Tyska is an award-winning staff photojournalist, videojournalist, drone pilot and picture editor based out of Oakland, and has worked for the Bay Area News Group since 1997. She's there when news breaks and has been known to arrive on assignment by many modes of transport, including motorcycle and boat.
Anda Chu is a photojournalist for the Bay Area News Group based in the East Bay. He grew up in the Bay Area and graduated from San Francisco Sate University with a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism. He has been a staff photographer with the organization since 2000.
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