Voters across Los Angeles County are casting their ballots this week but experts are warning that if you haven’t mailed your ballot yet, you might want to consider an alternative approach to voting to make sure your vote counts.
A combination of new federal postal regulations and a sharp rise in rejected ballots has made mail voting close to election day increasingly risky.
Under California law, mail ballots are counted if postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days. However, a U.S. Postal Service rule that took effect Dec. 24, 2025, warns that postmarks "may not necessarily reflect" the day USPS took possession of a mailpiece and there may be delays as mail is transported to a regional processing hub. The LA County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk recommends voters mail their ballots at least seven days before Election Day.
Voters can avoid postmark risk entirely by using one of more than 400 official 24-hour drop boxes throughout the county or dropping off a ballot at any Vote Center.
Voters can also cast their ballots in person at one of the 122 Vote Centers.
The Vote Centers, administered by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, are open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Monday, June 1 and will access ahead of Election Day, when all Vote Centers will operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Locations and live wait times are available at locator.lavote.gov.
"The RR/CC encourages voters to review their ballots carefully and vote early, as this ballot includes a large number of contests and candidates," Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan said in a statement.
Under California's Voter's Choice Act, any registered LA County voter may cast a ballot at any Vote Center in the county — no precinct assignment required.
How to Vote
Drop boxes are available 24 hours a day across the county and will be locked at 8 p.m. on June 2. Locations are listed at locator.lavote.gov.
Voters who prefer to cast their ballot in person can do so at any Vote Center. Each site is equipped with accessible Ballot Marking Devices, which display five candidates at a time for races with large fields. Voters can press a "More" button to view all candidates. The county also offers an Interactive Sample Ballot tool at isb.lavote.gov that allows voters to pre-mark their selections on a smartphone or computer and transfer their choices directly to the Ballot Marking Device at the Vote Center, saving time at the polls.
Voters who have lost or never received their ballot may request a replacement online at lavote.gov, by calling (800) 815-2666, or in person at the Registrar-Recorder's Norwalk headquarters at 12400 Imperial Highway. After today's deadline, replacement ballots must be obtained directly at a Vote Center.
Late Registration Still Available
Residents who missed the May 18 voter registration deadline are not necessarily out of options. California's Conditional Voter Registration program allows eligible residents to register and vote on the same day at any LA County Vote Center through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Under the program, voters complete a registration application at the Vote Center and cast a ballot, which is held securely until the registration is verified through California's statewide VoteCal database. Once validated, the ballot is processed and counted alongside all others.
To register, voters should bring a California driver's license or identification card, or have the last four digits of their Social Security number available.
What's on the Ballot
The June 2 primary features a wide range of federal, state and local contests. With Gov. Gavin Newsom termed out, the governor's race heads a ballot that also includes other state constitutional offices, U.S. Senate and House seats, and State Legislature races. Locally, voters will weigh in on the LA County Sheriff, LA County Assessor, two seats on the LA County Board of Supervisors, and the Los Angeles mayor's race, among other contests.
Also on the ballot is county Measure ER, a proposed half-cent general sales tax intended to fund county health services.
Language Access and Assistance
The Registrar-Recorder offers voting assistance in English and 18 additional languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese, Armenian and Farsi, among others. Voters can reach the multilingual assistance hotline at (800) 815-2666, option 3.
Voters with disabilities may use the Remote Accessible Vote by Mail program at lavote.gov/ravbm to mark their ballot using personal assistive technology. Curbside voting is also available at every Vote Center.
For a complete list of Vote Center locations, drop box sites, registration status and other election information, visit lavote.gov.