How to track your California ballot, and how not to get caught by the postmark rule

Want proof your ballot made it? California's Where's My Ballot? service, run by the Secretary of State and powered by BallotTrax, works in every county.

How to sign up

• Go to WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov and enter your voter information.
• Choose email, text or voice-call alerts.
• You'll be notified when your vote-by-mail ballot is mailed, when the county receives it, and when it's counted.

Most counties also have a lookup tool on their own sites, such as Contra Costa's My Voting Information, San Mateo's My Election Info and Alameda's Voter Profile.

The postmark trap

Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and arrive within seven days. But mail dropped in a USPS collection box on Election Day may not be picked up or postmarked until the next day, the San Francisco Department of Elections warns, and "a late postmark means your ballot cannot be counted." Sonoma County's registrar recommends against using a collection box on Nov. 2 or Nov. 3.

Safer options:

• Use any official drop box in California before 8 p.m. Nov. 3.
• Take it to a vote center or polling place.
• If you mail it late, hand it to a post office clerk and ask for a manual "hand stamp" postmark.

Want your vote in the Election Night count?

Contra Costa says ballots that arrive by Friday, Oct. 30, can be included in Election Night results. Ballots that come in later are counted in the days afterward.

If there's a problem

If your signature is missing or doesn't match, your county will contact you so you can "cure" your ballot. Alameda and Solano both have tools for this online. Don't forget to sign the envelope.