What are the legal requirements for absentee voting?

In California, the legal requirements for absentee voting are fairly straightforward. All registered voters may opt to vote by mail. To receive a ballot by mail, voters must first submit an application for an absentee ballot. This application, also called a vote-by-mail ballot application, must be received by the county elections office at least seven days prior to the election. To be valid, the application must include the voter’s name, voter registration address, mailing address (if different from the voter registration address), and signature. Once the ballot application is received, the voter will be sent a ballot by mail. The voter must then complete the ballot, which typically involves filling out a ballot card and a secrecy envelope, and sign the back of the secrecy envelope. The completed ballot must be returned to the county elections office before the polls close on Election Day. For applications received after the seven-day deadline, the voter may still obtain a ballot, but they must do so in person at their county elections office or at an approved satellite voting location (if available). The voter will be asked to fill out a ballot application and present valid identification. They will then be given their ballot, which must be completed and returned to the county elections office by the time the polls close on Election Day.

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What are the legal requirements for absentee voting?

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