In this explainer, the Tribune compiles the basics voters need to know when voting by mail in California.

When do ballots need to be postmarked?

According to the California Secretary of State, ballots must be postmarked by Election Day (Nov. 3). To ensure ballots are postmarked in time, voters should mail them at least seven days in advance. 

All vote-by-mail ballots come with prepaid postage and do not need stamps.

If mailing a ballot after the seven-day advance window or on Election Day, the Secretary of State recommends voters get a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a United States Post Office.

Voters can also return their ballots in person on Election Day at polling locations or at a drop-box location by 8:00 p.m.

How to track your ballot.

When voting by mail, voters can track their ballot through the California Secretary of State’s “Where’s My Ballot?” tool.

The tool informs voters about when their ballot was mailed, received and counted.

To use the tool, voters must sign up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov, where they can choose their preferred method for automatic updates, either email, SMS (text), or calls. 

What to do if there is an issue with your ballot. 

If there is an issue processing a ballot, the voter will be notified and given instructions on how to correct it.

For other issues and questions, the Secretary of State has established a toll-free Voter Hotline for requests for voter registration forms and other election materials and to report suspicions of voting or registration irregularities. The number is (800) 345-VOTE (8683).

Phone numbers for assistance in other languages are provided on the California Secretary of State’s Contact Information page.

The last opportunity to vote, whether in person or by returning a ballot, is Nov. 3 by 8:00 p.m.