If You Have a Problem with Your Ballot…
All Is Not Lost — You Can Fix That!
Things happen! If something “happened” to your vote-by-mail ballot, your first line of defense is to call the Registrar of Voters office in the county where you live. They can tell you what your options are and how to access them.
**If you haven’t received a vote-by-mail ballot, you can check your status online to make sure you are registered and “active”. Only “active registered voters” receive vote-by-mail ballots.
First, Call the Registrar’s Office — (510) 272-6973
Alameda County Registrar of Voters
Rene Davidson, Alameda County Superior Courthouse
1225 Fallon Street, Rm. G-1, Oakland, CA 94612
TEL (510) 272-6973
TOLL-FREE 1 (800) 834-6454
TDD (510) 208-4967
Next — and Maybe BEST — Go to a Vote Center
Vote Centers, in the counties that have them, offer convenient ways to vote — and take care of nearly any voting issue that may have occurred. If something went sideways with your ballot, election officials at the Vote Center can handle the whole process and re-issue a ballot to you. The best news here is that voters can also register and vote SAME DAY up until 8:00 PM on election day, giving voters another way to cast their ballots in time for them to be counted.
Some Alameda County Vote Centers open for 11 days and others open 4 days prior to and including election day. All offer additional, convenient locations, with hours between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and extended hours on election day — 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM
In some cases, errors can be resolved over the phone, but if not, a Vote Center may be your best option. If you have an issue to resolve before they open, and you must go in person, your only option is the County Registrar’s office.
Last But Not Least — AC Vote has “Ballot Will Call”
Yes. Like picking up theater tickets for a show, Alameda County offers “Ballot Will Call” Pick Up where you can call the office to get a replacement ballot and go pick it up the next day. The only limitation might be if your request is too close to the election for them to get it done. Seven days before the election seems to be the cut off point.
With Ballot Will Call, if something “happened” to your ballot, you did not yet vote, and voting is still on-going, the Registrar’s office can decommission your existing ballot and re-issue you a new one. You must CALL and “schedule” your pick up, but your ballot will be available for pick up at the Alameda County Registrar’s office the next day.
The next election is November 3, 2026… Are you ready?
You can’t win if you don’t play – register today!
Already registered? Check your status to make sure.
