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11/03/2026 General Election
November 3, 2026 General Election
General Information
In the General Election, all voters —regardless of political party preference— will see the same top two candidates for federal and state offices. Voters will also vote on local, Congressional, and State Assembly contests based on their residential address.
Voting Information
All active voters will receive a ballot by mail. Ballots may be returned by mail, placed in an official ballot return box, or delivered to any in‑person voting location in California.
In-person voting opportunities will be available at the Elections Office, satellite office, mobile vote units, and assigned polling places.
Important Dates
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October 5, 2026 |
Ballots mailed by this date. Ballot return locations open. |
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October 5, 2026 to November 3, 2026 |
Voting services, including in-person voting, available at Elections. Additional locations will be listed on this website. |
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October 19, 2026 |
Regular voter registration period ends. |
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October 20, 2026 to November 3, 2026 |
Same day (conditional) voter registration period. |
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October 27, 2026 |
Last day Monterey County Elections will mail ballots. Recommended last day to return ballots in the mail. |
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November 3, 2026 |
Last day to return ballots in person by 8 PM. Ballots must be postmarked no later than this date and received by November 10, 2026. Final day to vote in person. |
California Top-Two Primary: Nominated by Voters
Federal/State Offices
The offices listed below fall under the Top-Two primary rules. Candidates are nominated directly by voters to run in the following general election. The party preference (or “None” if applicable) for each candidate will be included on the ballot.
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Governor
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Lieutenant Governor
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Secretary of State
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Controller
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Treasurer
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Attorney General
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Insurance Commissioner
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Member, State Board of Equalization, District 2
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U.S. Representative, District 18 & District 19
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State Assembly, District 29 & District 30
There are no write-in opportunities for the offices listed above. The candidate’s party preference (or "None") always appears on the ballot. Candidates may have the same party preference.
Local and Nonpartisan Primary
County, Local and Other Primary Nonpartisan Candidates
The party preference for the below offices will not appear on the ballot because these offices are nonpartisan.
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Associate Justices of the Supreme and Appellate Courts
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State Superintendent of Public Instruction*
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City offices
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School District offices**
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Special District offices **
*If no candidate receives over 50% of the votes cast in the primary election, the two candidates with the most votes will appear on the ballot in the November General Election.
**In the event there are no nominees or an insufficient number of nominees for a local office, appointment is made as prescribed by EC 10515 & 10229.
Frequently Asked Questions
See common questions below, or contact us at:
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(831) 796-1499, or
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(866) 887-9274 – Toll Free
You can check your voter registration status, including your name, residential address, mailing address and political party, by visiting My Voter Status or calling (831) 796-1499.
To check the status of your ballot:
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Call the Monterey County Elections office at (831) 796-1499;
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Visit My Voter Status; or
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Signup to track your ballot at California (ballottrax.net)
You may correct the ballot by drawing a line through the selection you do not want and filling in the oval for your intended choice. Make sure the correction is clear so your intent can be understood. Do not sign or initial the correction. You may also request a replacement ballot or visit any in‑person voting location.
You may submit a corrected signature. The deadline to resolve a signature issue is 5 PM, two days before the election certification date. A link for online submission will be added here when available.
All voters can vote in the primary. Any voter, regardless of party preference, can choose to vote for any official candidate.
These are nonpartisan offices and do not include a political party label on the ballot.
Party preference indicates the party the candidate is associated with as a registered voter. Voters may either register with a political party preference or "no party preference" if they are not affiliated with a qualified political party. A candidate's party preference does not necessarily mean that they have that political party's support. The list of candidates who receive a party's official endorsement is in the county voter information guide.
Only qualified write‑in candidates may be written in. There are no write‑ins allowed for Top‑Two contests in November. A qualified write-in candidate is a candidate who has completed and filed paperwork with the election official to run as a write‑in candidate.
Votes count only for qualified write‑in candidates. Names of individuals who did not file as write‑ins, including fictitious characters, will not be counted.
list will be available starting October 23, 2026, on our website, at the Elections Office, and at all in‑person voting locations.
Under California’s Top‑Two Open Primary Act (Proposition 14), voters may choose any candidate in the primary. The two candidates with the most votes—regardless of party—advance to the general election.
For more information, visit www.sos.ca.gov/elections/primary-elections-california/
Some areas with Marina or Salinas mailing addresses are unincorporated and not within city boundaries. Examples include CSUMB faculty housing, East Garrison, Boronda, and some parts of Prunedale. Contact Monterey County Elections to confirm your districts.
For more information related to running for office, please visit the Candidates Information Page and Candidate Guidelines.