Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Asst. Chief Elections Officer & Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
(Redwood City, CA) Mark Church, San Mateo County’s Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, announced that the voting period for the November 3, 2026 Statewide General Election officially begins today, October 5.
“For the convenience of our residents, San Mateo County voters may visit any of our three Vote Centers currently open to cast their ballot in person or return their completed Vote by Mail ballot during the early voting period,” said Church. “Additionally, 57 Official Ballot Drop Boxes are available throughout the County, offering voters another secure and convenient way to submit their completed ballots.”
The three Vote Centers currently open are located at:
Registration & Elections Division
40 Tower Road
San Mateo, CA
Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder’s Office
555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, CA
South San Francisco Public Library
901 Civic Campus Way
South San Francisco, CA
Vote Centers will be open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from October 5 through November 2, 2026. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Vote Centers will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Beginning Saturday, October 24, 2026, additional Vote Centers will open, with weekend voting hours available.
For a complete list of Vote Center and Official Ballot Drop Box locations, visit smcvote.gov.
Vote by Mail Ballots Mailed
This week, Official Ballot packages are expected to begin arriving by mail to most of San Mateo County’s more than 447,000 registered voters. Ballots for approximately 5,500 registered voters serving in the military or residing overseas were mailed in September.
Registered voters who need to request a Vote by Mail ballot must do so by October 27, 2026. The Registration & Elections Division recommends that overseas voters submit their requests by October 20, 2026, to allow sufficient time for delivery.
Completed ballots may be returned by mail using the postage-paid return envelope included in each Official Ballot Package, deposited at an Official Ballot Drop Box, or returned at a San Mateo County Vote Center. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, November 3, 2026, and received no later than Tuesday, November 10, 2026, to be accepted.
Voters are encouraged to return their ballots as early as possible to ensure timely delivery. When returning a ballot on or near Election Day, voters may use an Official Ballot Drop Box, deliver the ballot to a Vote Center or take the ballot inside a U.S. Post Office and request that it be hand-postmarked.
Voters can verify their registration status online at smcvote.gov by selecting the “My Election Info” button. Voters are encouraged to use “My Election Info” to confirm when the Registration & Elections Division has received their completed ballot.
Additionally, voters can sign up at Where’s My Ballot? to receive ballot tracking notifications by email, text, or voice call.
For more information about the Registration & Elections Division or the November 3, 2026 Statewide General Election, please call or text (650) 312-5222, visit www.smcacre.gov, or follow us on X @smcvote and Instagram @sanmateocountyvote.