San Diego Voters Face High-Stakes Midterm Ballot Nov. 3
The county registrar mailed ballots to all active voters in early October, and polls will open at 7 a.m. on Election Day.
By Chloe Kapoor ·
San Diego County voters will cast ballots for governor, congressional seats, and local offices on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
The midterm election determines California's next governor, replacing Gavin Newsom who has reached the term limit. Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. secretary of health and human services, faces Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News political commentator. Statewide contests also include races for attorney general, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, insurance commissioner, and treasurer.
Local contests include two seats on the San Diego Board of Supervisors and congressional races in the 48th and 49th districts. Voters in the city of San Diego will elect representatives for districts 2, 4, 6, and 8. The ballot also features 14 California propositions covering housing, taxes, environmental regulations, and election rules, alongside two countywide measures regarding supervisor term limits and sales tax.
Mail ballots went to every active registered voter during the week of Oct. 5. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters allows voters to return these ballots by mail without a stamp, provided they are postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10. Alternatively, voters can use one of more than 100 official drop boxes across the county. These boxes opened Oct. 4 and remain accessible until 8 p.m. on Election Day, with one box available for every 15,000 registered voters.
In-person voting began Oct. 24 at select centers. Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Voters in line by the closing time will be permitted to vote. The county does not require identification for most voters, unless they are voting in a federal election for the first time and registered by mail or online without providing a California ID or Social Security number.
Those who missed the Oct. 19 registration deadline can still vote using a provisional ballot. Eligible citizens can register and cast this ballot at any vote center or the Registrar's office at 5600 Overland Ave. in San Diego. The vote will be counted once registration status is verified. This process also registers the individual for future elections.
Voters can check their registration status or request a replacement ballot on the Registrar of Voters website if the original was lost or destroyed. Online voting is not available in California. To report issues such as voter intimidation or device tampering, residents can submit forms on the California Secretary of State website.
Preliminary results will be released as soon as polls close on Nov. 3. California officials have until Dec. 3 to certify the final results. Some races may be decided immediately, while others could take days or weeks to call.
Source: KNSD
