In Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro and Albany, most local races on the Nov. 3 ballot use ranked-choice voting, also called instant-runoff voting. That includes Oakland's mayor, Berkeley council seats, San Leandro's mayor and Albany's school board. RCV does not apply to county, state or federal offices, and it doesn't change how ballot measures are decided.

How to mark the ballot

A ranked-choice race appears as a grid. Candidates run down the left side and the rankings run across the top. According to the registrar:

  • Fill in your 1st choice in the first column, your 2nd choice in the second, and so on.
  • You can rank up to five candidates. Ranking fewer is fine, and ranking only one is also allowed.
  • Fill in only one oval per column. If you mark two candidates in the same column, neither vote counts for that rank.
  • Fill in only one oval per row. If you rank the same candidate more than once, only your first ranking of that candidate counts.

How the count works

Officials first count everyone's first choices. If a candidate gets a majority (50% plus one), that candidate wins. If not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those ballots move to each voter's next choice. This repeats until someone has a majority. A runoff is built into one election, so there's no separate runoff later.

Practical tips

Ranking a second or third choice can't hurt your first choice. Your vote only moves if your top pick is eliminated. Results in close RCV races can shift over several days as late mail ballots are counted, because the elimination rounds are rerun each time. If you make a mistake, ask for a new ballot at a vote center instead of crossing out marks. The registrar also has a practice ballot tool on its website.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center. For more local races and measures, see our 2026 Bay Area election hub.