California Election Results 2026: Polls Close at 8 p.m. PT, and Counting Can Run to Dec. 3

California polls close at 8 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, which is 11 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), and the California Secretary of State’s Election Results website begins posting results after that. The count does not end that night. Counties have until Thu., Dec. 3 to complete the canvass, and the Secretary of State must certify the statewide vote by Fri., Dec. 11, according to the state’s official election calendar.

Where do California results appear on election night?

The Secretary of State’s page says results for the Nov. 3 election “are available beginning after the polls close at 8:00 p.m.” on its Election Results website, electionresults.sos.ca.gov, and that they will be updated “each day throughout the canvass.”

What the first numbers contain matters. The Secretary of State’s vote counting page says “the first election results posted are typically ballots received before Election Day.” It calls election-night totals semi-official and says results are never final until the Secretary of State compiles the official statewide results. Under the state calendar, each county reports totals to the state at least every two hours starting at 8 p.m. until its semi-official canvass is done.

California vote count timeline, day by day

Date	What happens
Tue., Nov. 3, 8 p.m.	Polls close; counties begin the semi-official canvass; last time to register conditionally and vote a provisional ballot
Thu., Nov. 5	Counties send the state a first estimate of unprocessed ballots
Mon., Nov. 9	From this day, counties report estimates to the state on any day they publish updated results
Tue., Nov. 10	Last day for mailed ballots to arrive
Mon., Nov. 16	Counties finish counting most ballots
Tue., Nov. 17	Counties must have sent notices to voters with signature problems
Wed., Nov. 25, 5 p.m.	Last day to fix a signature problem
Thu., Dec. 3	Counties complete the canvass and certify
Fri., Dec. 11	Secretary of State certifies the statewide vote

The Nov. 16 deadline has exceptions. Counties may still be working on provisional and conditional ballots, ballots with signature problems, ballots forwarded from other counties or needing duplication, and ballots received after the fourth day following the election.

How to see how many California ballots are left to count

Counties give the Secretary of State “an estimate of their remaining unprocessed ballots” two days after the election, and the office posts that report online and updates it daily, according to its vote counting page. It issued the same kind of report after the June primary.

Counties have their own duty. Starting the Thursday after the election, each county must update its website at least twice by the next Thursday and at least twice a week after that. Each update must show updated results, the ballots processed and the estimated ballots left in five groups (polling place, mailed ballots received on or before Election Day, mailed ballots received after Election Day, provisional and conditional registration), and the date and time of the next release.

Which California ballots can arrive after Election Day?

A mailed ballot counts if it arrives within seven days of Election Day, by Tue., Nov. 10, and either carries a postmark or carrier date stamp of Nov. 3 or earlier, or has no usable postmark and is signed and dated on or before Election Day. A ballot delivered by hand must reach the county by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, according to the Secretary of State’s voting plan page.

For a signature problem, the county sends a notice by Tue., Nov. 17. The voter can return a signature verification statement in person, or by mail, email or fax, until 5 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 25. To follow your own ballot, sign up for alerts at the Secretary of State’s Where’s My Ballot service, which sends email, text or voice call notices. Our California propositions guide has the rest of the voting-day rules.

California recount rules

A voter may file a recount request within five days beginning on the 31st day after a statewide election, according to the Secretary of State’s recount questions page. That window is Fri., Dec. 4 to Tue., Dec. 8 this year. The person asking must pay the county’s cost of the first day’s recount work, and again for each later day.

What California voters are deciding

The ballot includes governor, lieutenant governor and the other statewide executive offices named in the governor’s election proclamation, all 52 U.S. House seats, and 14 propositions. The Secretary of State says 2026 ballots include candidates for the new congressional districts drawn under Proposition 50. See when the rest of the country will know and when polls close in every state.

Print the California election results timeline

The printable below puts the key dates on one page, from the 8 p.m. poll close to certification. Mark them on our November and December printable calendars.