Final hours of 2026 midterm voting: A procrastinator’s guide
We’ve reached the final hours for voting in California, but there’s still time to cast your ballot in the midterm election.
Here’s what you need to know on election day.
What time do polling centers close?
Polling places and vote centers close at 8 p.m.
What happens if I’m still in line at 8 p.m.?
In California, any voter who is in line at 8 p.m. when the polls are scheduled to close is allowed to vote, according to the secretary of state.
If there is a line when the polls close, a poll worker stands at the back of the line to let people who arrive after 8 p.m. know that the polls have closed.
Where can I find the closest polling place to me?
The Los Angeles County registrar-recorder/county clerk’s website has a vote center locator online.
By entering your address, the locator will create a list of voting centers that are less than a mile away.
Included with the vote center address is how long the current wait time is at that specific location.
The wait times are color coded as follows:
- Dark green: 15 minutes or less
- Light green: 16 to 30 minutes
- Yellow: 31 to 45 minutes
- Orange: 46 to 60 minutes
- Red: More than 1 hour
- Blue: Wait time unavailable
I’m headed to my polling place now but don’t have my check-in code
Your unique “quick check-in code” — a number that verifies your voter registration — can be found on your mailed sample ballot and vote center postcard.
You can take either of those hard copies to the vote center.
If you forgot the hard copies, you can find the code online.
You retrieve it by verifying your voter registration here. You’ll need to input your last name, birth date, the house number of your residential address and your ZIP Code.
For assistance call, (800) 815-2666, Option 2.
Can I still drop off my ballot?
Similar to vote centers, ballot drop boxes close at 8 p.m.