Story perspectives

California Warns June 2 Ballots Disqualified After USPS Delay

5/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

A United States Postal Service (USPS) rule means mail dropped at California post offices on Election Day will be postmarked next day.
California election officials urge voters to submit ballots by June 2 and warn ballots dropped June 2 will be postmarked June 3 and disqualified.
Santa Barbara staff report about 35,000 of 250,000 mailed ballots returned, a fourteen-fold rise in ballots after the change, and urge voters to mail ballots five days early.

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Story summary

A United States Postal Service (USPS) rule means mail dropped at California post offices on Election Day will be postmarked next day.
California election officials urge voters to submit ballots by June 2 and warn ballots dropped June 2 will be postmarked June 3 and disqualified.
Santa Barbara staff report about 35,000 of 250,000 mailed ballots returned, a fourteen-fold rise in ballots after the change, and urge voters to mail ballots five days early.