Usually during off year elections, there are fewer eligible voters who vote compared to the numbers who vote during presidential elections. However, current statistics show that in this year’s November 4, 2025 Special Election in California, 2.52 million ballots have already been cast as of October 20, 2025.
This figure was given to a group of journalists on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, by Secretary of State Shirley Weber when she spoke during a press briefing hosted by American Community Media. Secretary Weber emphasized how important it is for each one of us to make sure that our voices are heard. “Having your voice, having the ability to vote, having it accessible, making it available to so many is really, really important, and that's what we've been trying to do here in California with every election, to make it accessible to California with its very diverse population. She added that the aim of the state’s voting process is to make sure that eligible voters can vote comfortably and can vote in a timely manner that really counts your ballot, makes sure your voice is heard, and gives every voter” a voice to be able to influence California politics, as well as the national politics.”
For those who missed the October 20, deadline in the state to register to vote, Weber said that California’s laws allow those eligible to vote to both register and vote on Election Day at the polls. However, the process will take longer since the new voter will be given a provisional ballot and will be considered a provisional voter until the person information submitted in verified. Then their ballot will be counted.
Weber urged everyone to vote early, because in certain rural counties where there is limited service, ballots might not be counted if they are put in ballot boxes on the day of the election. in some rural areas of California, ballots dropped in the U.S. mail on Election Day might not be picked up and postmarked until the following day. Because of new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) changes, mail from communities more than 50 miles away from a regional processing facility might not be collected and postmarked until the next day. So, voters in these areas who vote on the day of the election are urged to go to the U.S Post Office and have their ballot stamped, so that it can be counted rather than put it into a mailbox.
California offers multiple ways that people can vote: by mail, in person at a polling place, and by using a ballot box. If voters have questions, they are urged to call 1800-345-VOTE
Since there are current challenges to the Voting Rights Act, Weber said that California has its own voting rights act, known at the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA), which is stronger than the Federal Voting Rights Act.
The main challenge to voting is misinformation and according to Weber, to avoid undue influence, employers and union representatives are not allowed to help employees with their ballots.
Weber said, We want to make sure that the decision you make to vote is not influenced by where you work and those kinds of things, because often, those things can be very intimidating, and people can try to collect ballots at the polling, at their employment site, and do things to make sure that you vote the way they want you to vote. So, by law, you can let them know that they as an employer,… cannot influence you, and neither can a union rep.”
In addition to English, election ballots are printed in nine other languages. If there are questions about election procedures, Weber said that, if people have time, they have the right to go to their polling place, to their registrar of voters and ask to watch the elections and the ballots that are counted. All of the registrar of voter’s offices have windowed areas where the ballots are brought in and counted. One will be able to see election workers looking at the Language Act and the signatures. But they will not be in a position where they can read those signatures and they cannot touch or count the ballots.
Again, Weber stressed, “You have to show up in every election in order to have a voice and to influence your life and the life of your children. So it is extremely important that those who are in ethnic communities … who have limited resources [and who] may not have the money, …[do] have the same power of the President [and] the governor. They only get one vote. There is no discounted vote. And so make sure that you are have your voice heard, just like everyone else, whether you have a little money, a whole bunch of money, they can't buy your vote. And you hold it, you own it, and it's you. So I tell people all the time, don't give up your power. Don't give up your vote, [your] voice. Make sure you're heard.”
More information can be found at the CA Secretary of State’s website at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections
