Election Day, on Nov. 5, marks the quadrennial occasion that will determine the next president of the United States, place new California representatives in key legislative seats, decide statewide and local ballot measures, and more.
That means if you haven’t already returned the ballot mailed out to registered voters last month, Nov. 5 is the day to do so. And if you’ve been anxiously awaiting results, Nov. 5 is the day that they’ll start to come in.
Looking for candidate information and ballot measure breakdowns as you fill out your ballot for the Nov. 5 election? Visit our voter guide.
Here’s your one-stop-shop for all your Election Day questions.
Where to vote in Los Angeles County
More than 600 ballot drop boxes and vote centers in Los Angeles County will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 5 and will serve as secure places for voters to drop off their ballots. You can find location details on the LA County Registrar’s website.
Read: Voting in Los Angeles County is safe, elections and law enforcement officials say
Same day voter registration
Same Day Voter Registration, known as Conditional Voter Registration in state law, is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for an election.
That means if you missed the Oct. 21 deadline to register to vote, you can still do so in-person at a designated county elections office, polling place or vote center – yes, even on Election Day.
Your ballots will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process, according to the secretary of state’s website.
For a list of designated same day voter registration places and more information, visit the secretary of state’s website.
Also read: When is Election Day? How do I track my ballot? Your 2024 voting questions answered
When will election results be available to California residents?
On election night, counties typically start to release unofficial vote counts shortly after the 8 p.m. voting deadline. Around then, we’ll start publishing live results for Los Angeles County races here.
After that, semi-official results are usually released between then and the morning of Nov. 6. However, expect a delay in official results.
That’s due to a new state law – Assembly Bill 3184 – which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 22 and amends the California Elections Code to clarify the deadline for voters who need to “cure” their vote-by-mail ballots, typically due to missing or mismatched signatures.
The deadline gives voters in the 2024 general election until 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1 (26 days after Election Day) to resolve signature issues with their ballot.
And that means county elections officials cannot certify the results until Tuesday, Dec. 3, creating a possible delay in official election results.
We explain more here: Election 2024: In California, it might take awhile for votes to be tallied. Here’s why
Also read: When will we have election results from every state?
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