Here's how to track your mail-in ballot

Tony Cabrera Image
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Here's how to track your mail-in ballot
For the first time ever, every California voter can track their ballot through a tool called "Where's My Ballot?" It sends notifications via email, text or voice call.

For the first time ever, every California voter can track their ballot through a tool called "Where's My Ballot?" It sends notifications via email, text or voice call.

Voter info: Here's how to vote

Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley says his county has provided this for several years now.

"This gives added confidence I think to voters to understand and to see where their ballot is in the process and to know, have assurance it was counted," said Kelley.

Once voters sign up for tracking, notifications are received when the county election office has mailed, received and counted the voter's ballot. They'll also get a notification if there are any issues with the voter's ballot, like a missing signature.

To sign up for ballot tracking, go to www.wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.

Are you registered to vote? Here's how to check your voter registration status before the election.

"California is way ahead of the curve on this. I mean you talk about some of these East Coast states where you don't have these safety nets," said Kelley.

Election officials hope this helps with transparency, accountability and voter confidence, now that every active registered voter is receiving a vote-by-mail ballot this year.

"If you're gonna track your pet food coming in from Amazon, why aren't you tracking your ballot? I mean to me, I love my pets but the ballots important too," Kelley said.

California propositions: A voter's guide to the 2020 ballot measures

San Clemente resident Frank Montalvo drove to Santa Ana to avoid any potential issues with the postal service, but he says he'll still sign up for tracking to see that it's counted.

"It's modern times. We track everything including Amazon packages, etc. So it makes sense. It just makes sense in today's world," said Montalvo.

MORE: 6 ways mail-in ballots are protected from fraud

The Trump and Biden campaigns are ready to deploy challengers to ballot-counting operations in battleground states.

Get the latest updates on elections news at: abc7.com/vote.