Election Day — your last day to vote — is on Tuesday, Nov. 4. And if you’re a registered California voter, your ballot should arrive in your mailbox soon.

But what if you make a mistake on your ballot as you’re filling it out? Or are you just not sure how to fill it out in the first place?

Keep reading to learn how to fill out your ballot, how important your signature is and your options if you need to start again with a fresh ballot. Or jump straight to:

If you’re looking for information about what’s on your ballot, take a look at KQED’s guides to:

(And if you want to make sure you’re actually registered to vote correctly, read our 2024 guide to checking your voter registration — including why you might need to re-register.)

A San Francisco resident fills out their mail-in ballot.

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