California Native Vote Project
2026 ELECTION Information
Voter Information for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) in California
CNVP & CILS 2026 Voter Guide
Our organizations bring different areas of expertise to this partnership. CILS brings decades of legal knowledge and experience protecting the rights of Native people and Tribal communities. CNVP brings statewide Native civic engagement and organizing lens grounded in the belief that Native communities should have the information, resources, and power to shape the decisions that affect our families, communities, and our future.
CNVP Ballot Measure Recommendations
The November 3, 2026 California General Election includes 14 statewide ballot measures addressing housing, education, healthcare, taxation, voting, public financing, environmental review, and other issues that may have significant implications for Native communities across California.
The recommendations represent CNVP’s assessment of the statewide propositions through a Native-centered lens, with particular attention to Tribal sovereignty and self-determination, the needs of Tribal and urban Native communities, access to housing and healthcare, education, civic participation, economic equity, protection of Tribal cultural resources, and the long-term capacity of Native communities to build power.
A Yes or No position reflects CNVP’s assessment of the measure’s potential impact on Native communities.
Important Election Dates
The general election on November 3, 2026, is quickly approaching! Below are some important dates provided by the California Secretary of State website that you need to know!
- Registered to Vote? Visit https://registertovote.ca.gov/. The last day to register to vote online for the November 3, 2026, General Election is October 19.
- Make your voice heard early. Return your ballot by mail as soon as you receive it. County elections officials will begin mailing ballots by October 5.
- Ballots can be dropped off at a drop-off location, county elections office, or returned by mail. Secure ballot drop-off locations open on October 6.
- Skip the lines on Election Day. The first vote centers open for early in-person voting in all Voter’s Choice Act counties on October 24. In-person early voting locations throughout California will be open on Saturday, October 31.
- To ensure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day make sure to mail it at least 7 days in advance. Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3.
- If mailing a ballot on November 3, get a manual postmark from a postal employee inside a United States Post Office.
- November 3 is the last day to vote in-person or return a ballot by 8:00 p.m. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Register to Vote
Your Native vote is powerful — it shapes national, state, and local elections and amplifies voices that deserve to be heard. Since earning the right to vote in 1924, Native Americans have been building momentum, and every Native voter who enters the process strengthens that movement. Vote today to increase Native representation, grow our political influence, and pave the way for future generations.
In California, you can register to vote online. Click the “Register Online” button below to complete your registration on the official California Secretary of State website.
Not sure if you’re already registered? No problem. Click the “Check My Voter Registration Status” button below to use the Secretary of State’s voter registration status tool.
Vote by Mail, Vote Early!
All California voters will be mailed a ballot with a prepaid postage return envelope for the upcoming election. You can vote as soon as you receive your ballot in the mail.
Steps to Voting by Mail
1. Complete your Ballot
Mark your choices on your ballot.
2. Seal your Ballot
Secure your ballot inside the ballot return envelope you received from your county elections office.
3. Sign your Ballot
Sign the outside of your ballot return envelope.
Make sure your signature matches the one on your CA driver’s license/state ID, or the one you provided when registering to vote. Your county elections office will compare them before they count your ballot.
4. Return your Ballot.
- By drop box—Drop off your completed ballot in the return envelope at a secure official drop box in your county at any time between October 6 through the close of polls on November 3.
- In person—Drop your completed ballot in the return envelope off at a secure drop box, polling place, vote center, or county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on November 3. Voting locations will be available in all counties before Election Day. Voting locations offer voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance.
- By mail—Mail your ballot back as soon as possible after you receive it. To be counted, your ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day. We recommend mailing it at least 7 days before Election Day. If you mail it closer to Election Day, take it to a United States Post Office and ask a postal employee for a manual postmark.
5. Track your Ballot
After you return your ballot, you can sign up to receive updates on the status of your ballot by text message (SMS), email, or voice call. Click “Track my Ballot” below or visit WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov
Voter Education Materials
In 2026, we will provide voter education materials to help you better understand your ballot. Nonpartisan analysis and voter guides will be available here as the election approaches, so be sure to check back regularly for updates.
If you’d like to see what will appear on your ballot, you can enter your address using a tool like Vote411.org’s personalized voter information form. Click the button below to try it out.
FAQs
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