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San Francisco, California · elections

Voting in San Francisco

County elections officials run California elections, under the Secretary of State. Counties mail a ballot to registered voters. This page never rates or recommends a candidate or a ballot measure, and it shows every candidate in a race the same way — a line this site holds. For everything on your own ballot, use your official sample ballot.
next election · 22 days away

General election — Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Polls are open 7:00 am to 8:00 pm local time.

Federal, state, county, and local offices, plus any measures. Your exact ballot depends on where you live.

Key dates — marked against today, Mon, Oct 12

passed Mon, Oct 5
Ballots mailed; drop boxes open

Counties start mailing ballots by Oct. 5. Secure ballot drop boxes open Oct. 5 or 6. You can return your ballot any time from now through Election Day.

Source: California Secretary of State — Nov. 3, 2026 key dates · California Official Voter Information Guide — dates to remember

in 7 days Mon, Oct 19
Last day to register to vote

This is the last day to register, including online. After Oct. 19 you can still register and vote the same day at your county elections office or a voting location, up to and including Election Day.

Source: California Secretary of State — Nov. 3, 2026 key dates · California Official Voter Information Guide — dates to remember

in 12 days Sat, Oct 24 – Tue, Nov 3
Early in-person voting

Vote centers open Oct. 24 in Voter's Choice Act counties. Early voting sites across the state are open Saturday, Oct. 31. Sites and hours vary by county.

Source: California Secretary of State — Nov. 3, 2026 key dates · California Official Voter Information Guide — dates to remember

in 22 days Tue, Nov 3
Election Day

Polls are open 7 am to 8 pm. Drop off your ballot at any polling place or drop box in California by 8 pm. A mailed ballot must be postmarked by Nov. 3. Mail it at least 7 days early to be safe.

Source: California Secretary of State — Nov. 3, 2026 key dates · California Secretary of State — make a plan to vote

in 29 days Tue, Nov 10
Last day for mailed ballots to arrive

A mailed ballot postmarked by Election Day counts if your county gets it by this date.

Source: California Official Voter Information Guide — dates to remember

Dates can change and counties can add early-voting days. When in doubt, your election office has the final word.

Where to vote — San Francisco Department of Elections

Early voting: Vote early at the City Hall Voting Center, in front of Room 48, from Oct. 5 through Election Day. Hours are 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays (closed Oct. 12) and 10 am to 4 pm on the weekends of Oct. 24–25 and Oct. 31–Nov. 1. There are 37 official drop boxes in the city, open from Oct. 5.

Election Day: 501 neighborhood polling places are open 7 am to 8 pm. Find yours on the back of your voter pamphlet or in the Voter Portal at https://sfelections.org/tools/portal/.

City Hall, Room 48, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl., San Francisco · 415-558-6100 · Monday–Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (closed public holidays) · sf.gov/departments--department-elections

Source: SF Department of Elections — Nov. 3, 2026 election · SF Department of Elections

What to bring

In most cases you don't need to show ID to vote in California. You may be asked for ID if you are voting for the first time after registering by mail and did not give a driver's license number, state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Source: California Secretary of State — what to bring

Check your registration and your ballot

Related: Who shows up to vote · Who decides, and how to reach them · The calendar. Spot an error? Report it.

California dates gathered 2026-10-08.