What time do polls open and close on Tuesday Nov. 4 in California? How to vote on Proposition 50

The California State Legislature voted to call a special “Proposition 50″ election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, giving voters the final say on whether the Golden State adopts a new map of congressional districts.

If Proposition 50 is approved, the new boundaries would remain in effect through the next three election cycles and could help Democrats gain up to five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. That shift could have a major impact on the balance of power in Washington.

Democratic Party frames vote as pushback against GOP

The California Democratic Party describes Proposition 50 as “a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

The party also claims the measure gives Californians an opportunity to “fight back against the Republican cuts to healthcare, the rising cost of living under tariffs, and the cruel abductions and forced removals of immigrants.”

Proposition 50: How and when to vote

Vote-by-mail ballots were sent out no later than Oct. 6, with voters having three ways to return them, as outlined by the California Secretary of State:

By drop box: Drop off your completed vote-by-mail ballot at a secure official drop box in your county anytime between Oct. 7 and the close of polls on Nov. 4.

In person: Drop your completed vote-by-mail ballot off at a secure drop box, polling place, vote center, or county elections office by 8 p.m. PT on Nov. 4. On Election Day, voting locations opened at 7 a.m. PT. Locations offer voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance.

By mail: Return your ballot by mail as soon as you receive it. Make sure your vote-by-mail ballot return envelope is postmarked no later than Nov. 4. It must be received by Nov. 12.

Registration and same-day voting

The last day to register to vote in the election was Oct. 20. However, eligible citizens who missed the deadline have been able to use the same-day registration process up until Election Day, Nov. 4, at their county elections office or any in-person voting location.

When results will be available

Polls close at 8 p.m. PT, after which preliminary results will begin to be posted Results will be updated in real time on the California Secretary of State’s election results website and continue to be counted during the canvassing period. Final certification is scheduled for December 12, but the outcome is expected long before that.

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