Election day is approaching. Here’s how to cast your vote for the presidential election in California

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Election day is just around the corner. Here’s everything you need to know about voting in California.

The presidential election takes place on Tuesday, November 5th and Californians have several ways to cast their vote.

Registered voters should have already received a ballot in the mail. After submitting their ballot, California voters can track their ballot through a tool called “Where’s My Ballot?” It sends notifications via email, SMS or voice call.

HOW TO VOTE

It is recommended that voters check local election websites or National Conference of State Legislatures resources to learn what Election Day rules apply in their state and region.

Return ballots by mail

You can mail in your ballot as long as it is postmarked by Tuesday, November 5th and arrives at your county registrar’s office by November 12th. You can also drop it off at a secure ballot box by 8 p.m. on Election Day. To find a ballot drop-off location, visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.

VOTE IN PERSON EARLY

Voting centers will open across California on October 26, allowing residents to cast their votes in person in the presidential election.

The centers will be open daily. Voters can cast their vote at any center, regardless of where they live in the county. For a list of nearby locations, visit the Secretary of State’s Vote California website.

Return the ballot in person

You may drop off your ballot at any polling place or your local county election office by November 5th at 8:00 p.m. To find your polling place, visit www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place and enter your address.

VOTE IN PERSON ON ELECTION DAY

To vote on Election Day, you must go to a designated polling station. You can find out where your polling place is by entering your home address into the polling location locators on sites like Vote.org, Google.com, or your local elections website.

Many states do not require you to bring your voter registration card to the polls. However, the majority of them expect ID in order to vote in person.

If you are not registered to vote, don’t worry. You can register and cast your vote on the same day. Simply ask to fill out a form at your voting center.

If you need an accommodation because of a disability or need assistance voting in another language at your polling place, your polling place will likely offer special assistance, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. The agency recommends contacting your local elections office for details.

DON’T FORGET YOUR RIGHTS

The American Civil Liberties Union advises voters to stay in line if polls close while still waiting in line.

They say many errors on Election Day should be fixed quickly – if an error is made on your ballot, you can request a new one, and if the voting machines at your location are down, you are allowed to request a paper ballot.

If a poll worker says a voter’s name is not on the list of registered voters, the ACLU recommends voters ask the poll worker to double-check the spelling of their name. The organization also recommends double-checking that the voter is at the correct polling location.

If a poll worker still cannot find your name or you cannot travel to the correct polling location, request a provisional ballot. According to the ACLU, voters are entitled to a provisional ballot even if they are not on the poll book.

Election officials will verify that you are eligible to vote and registered. If so, your provisional ballot will be counted.

If you are turned away or denied a provisional ballot, the ACLU recommends reporting the incident to local election officials or calling the Election Protection Hotline.

The hotline is operated by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in case voters encounter problems on Election Day.

The hotline is available in several languages: English, 1-866-687-8683; Spanish: 1-888-839-8682; Arabic: 1-844-925-5287; For Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683.

VOTER INFORMATION BY COUNTY

Los Angeles County
Orange County
Ventura County
Riverside County
San Bernardino County

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City News Service Inc. contributed to this report