LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeElections CodeDiv. 3Ch. 2§ 3105 Military Voter Ballot Deadlines

§ 3105 Military Voter Ballot Deadlines

Elections Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 3105 Military Voter Ballot Deadlines

Key Takeaways

  • •If you're in the military or live overseas, you can ask for a ballot up to 60 days before an election, but it won't be sent out until 60 days before the election at the earliest.
  • •You'll get your ballot with a list of all the people running and the things you can vote on. You can also write in a name if you want to vote for someone not on the list.
  • •If you send in a ballot with a write-in name, it will count as long as that person is actually running for that job.
  • •You can ask for your ballot by fax or email, and you can get it sent back to you the same way.

Example

A soldier stationed in another country wants to vote in the upcoming election.

The soldier can ask for a ballot up to 60 days before the election. They will get their ballot with all the candidates and things to vote on. They can vote for the people on the list or write in someone else's name. If they write in a name, it will count as long as that person is actually running. They can ask for and get their ballot by fax or email.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 3105 Military Voter Ballot Deadlines

(a) Any application made pursuant to this chapter that is received by the elections official prior to the 60th day before the election shall be kept and processed on or after the 60th day before the election. (b) (1) The elections official shall send the ballot not earlier than 60 days but not later than 45 days before the election and shall include with the ballot a list of all candidates who have qualified for the ballot and a list of all measures that are to be submitted to the voters and on which the voter is qualified to vote. The voter shall be entitled to write in the name of any specific candidate seeking nomination or election to any office listed on the ballot. (2) The military or overseas voter may, in the alternative to the ballot provided pursuant to paragraph (1), use a federal write-in absentee ballot to vote in any election in which the military or overseas voter is qualified to vote. (c) Notwithstanding Section 15341 or any other provision of law, any name written upon a ballot for a particular office pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be counted for the office or nomination, providing the candidate whose name has been written on the ballot has, as of the date of the election, qualified to have his or her name placed on the ballot for the office, or has qualified as a write-in candidate for the office. (d) Except as provided in Section 3106, the elections official shall receive and canvass military or overseas voter ballots described in this section under the same procedure as vote by mail ballots, insofar as that procedure is not inconsistent with this section. (e) In the event that a military or overseas voter executes a ballot pursuant to this section and an application for a vote by mail ballot pursuant to Section 3102, the elections official shall process the application and the ballot in accordance with this chapter. (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a military or overseas voter who qualifies pursuant to this chapter may, by facsimile transmission, register to vote and apply for a ballot pursuant to this section or a vote by mail ballot. Upon request, the elections official shall send the ballot to the qualified military or overseas voter either by mail, facsimile, or electronic transmission, as requested by the voter. (Added by renumbering Section 3103 by Stats. 2012, Ch. 744, Sec. 8. (AB 1805) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

military or overseas voterfederal write-in

Related Statutes

  • § 3101 Military Voter Ballot Access
  • § 3102 Military Overseas Voter Rights
  • § 3108 Military Voter Late Registration
  • § 3109 Military Voter Ballot Replacement
  • § 3110 Military Voter Late Registration

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Elections Code. Section 3105.
View Official Source