Elections Code section 3016.3
(a)
No later than 29 days before the day of the election, any voter using a vote by mail ballot may, prior to the close of the polls on election day, vote the ballot at the office of the elections official or a satellite location. The voter shall vote the ballot in the presence of an officer of the elections official or in a voting booth, at the discretion of the elections official, but in no case may their vote be observed.(b)
For a statewide election, a county that does not conduct an election pursuant to Section 4005 shall provide at least one early voting location on the Saturday before the day of the election that is open for a minimum of six hours.(c)
(1)For purposes of subdivisions (a) and (b), the elections official shall do all of the following:(A)
Provide at least one voting unit that is certified or conditionally approved by the Secretary of State to allow voters with disabilities the access required under the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. Sec. 20901 et seq.).(B)
Permit a voter to vote their vote by mail ballot as provided in Section 3016.5.(C)
Provide notice of any satellite location not later than two weeks before voting may occur at the satellite location.(2)
For purposes of the early voting location described in subdivision (b), the elections official shall also permit a voter to do all of the following:(A)
Return the voter’s vote by mail ballot.(B)
Register to vote, update the voter’s voter registration, and vote pursuant to Section 2170.(C)
Receive and vote a provisional ballot pursuant to Section 3016 or Article 5 (commencing with Section 14310) of Chapter 3 of Division 14.(D)
Receive a replacement ballot upon verification that a ballot for the same election has not been received from the voter by the county elections official. If the county elections official is unable to determine if a ballot for the same election has been received from the voter, the county elections official may issue a provisional ballot.(E)
Vote a regular, provisional, or replacement ballot using accessible voting equipment that provides for a private and independent voting experience.
Source:
Section 3016.3, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=ELEC§ionNum=3016.3. (updated Jan. 1, 2026; accessed Dec. 8, 2025).
