Your last-minute guide to election day challenges in California's 2026 primary election

It's election day in California's 2026 primary, and you're going to the polls — until you realize you're not sure you're registered, or you're afraid you might not make it to the polls in time.

Here are some common election day concerns and challenges and how to end your Tuesday with an “I Voted” sticker.

I forgot to register to vote

You can still register to vote on election day as a conditional voter through the same day voter registration process.

Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of the election can complete the process and vote at county election offices, polling stations or polling centers. To register you will need to provide a driver's license, national ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

A complete list of county election office addresses can be found here.

Your submitted ballot will be processed and counted once the county election office has completed the voter registration verification process.

If you are unsure of your voting status, you can find your record here by providing personal information including your date of birth and driver's license number.

I don't know where my polling place is

You can find your nearest polling place on the California secretary of state's website here.

You can also use the Los Angeles County voter center location on the registrar-recorder/county clerk website here.

On election day, polling stations are open from 7am to 8pm across the state.

I cannot submit my own mail-in ballot

You can ask someone else to submit your vote.

Anyone can leave your mail-in ballot as long as you authorize them to do so and they don't get paid for each vote, according to the secretary of state.

You and the person you authorized to send your mailed ballot must complete and sign the outer envelope.

I forgot my in-person voting login code

Los Angeles County election officials say you can enter a polling place by scanning your “quick access code” — a number that verifies your voter registration.

Your code can be found on your sample mailer and polling station postcard. Take any of those copies to the polling station.

If you forgot the paper copies, you can retrieve the code by verifying your voter registration here. You will need to enter your last name, date of birth, house number of your residential address and ZIP code. For assistance call, (800) 815-2666, Option 2.

I want to cast my vote in the box but I'm afraid it's too late

There are three ways you can submit your ballot by post on election day:

• You can put it in the ballot box. The closing time for doing this is 8pm, which is also the time to vote on election day.
• Place it at the polling station, where the deadline is the same.
• Put it in the United States post office. Be sure to get a hand-stamped postage stamp from the postal worker. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on election day and received no later than seven days after election day.

I think I forgot to sign my posted ballot envelope

If you failed to sign your mailed ballot return envelope, your vote will still be counted.

Your county elections official will notify you by mail, phone or email, according to the secretary of state. You can also be prompted for “Where's My Ballot?” tracking tool if you have signed up for automatic notifications that will alert you if there are problems with your ballot.

Your county election office will provide you with a form to complete and return.

The form will be given to you two days before the day your county approves the election, so be sure to fill it out and return it to your county election office as soon as possible.

I will be late to the election; can i vote

In California, any voter in line by 8 p.m. when the polls are scheduled to close is allowed to vote, according to the secretary of state.

If there is a line when the polls close, a poll worker stands at the back of the line to inform people arriving after 8pm that the polls have closed.

Any voter who arrives after the polls close will not be allowed to vote, even if voters who were in line before the polls closed are still in the process of voting.