Live Blog | 2026 California midterm election: When can Angelenos expect election results?

It’s Election Day in California, a midterm in which over 23 million registered voters will have a chance to elect the state leader to follow in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s footsteps.

Voters in Los Angeles will also decide between two Democratic mayoral candidates, elect a new sheriff for the county and determine the outcome of key propositions that will dictate the future of funding for healthcare services.

Need help understanding what's on your ballot? We've got voting guides galore:

• L.A. voting guide
• SELA voting guide
• California propositions guide

Voting centers across the state close at 8 p.m. Early results will begin coming in closer to 9 p.m. 

This Nov. 3 midterm, follow along here as the CALÓ News team brings you live updates on voter processes, explainers on races and results.

See something happening at your local polling center? Send us an email at info@calonews.com.

3:35 p.m.: When can Angelenos expect election results?

The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk will release its first results of vote-by-mail ballots between 8:30-8:45 p.m., followed by ballots cast at a vote center between 8:45 p.m.-9 p.m.

Election officials must follow a detailed protocol once vote centers close. At 8 p.m., election workers seal all ballots and account for all required materials.

Next, ballots will go to check-in centers across the county and from there, sheriff’s deputies move the ballots to the Ballot Processing Center (BPC) in the City of Industry by car, helicopter and boat, if necessary. On election night, there will be eight helicopters transporting ballots from further regions, including Palmdale and Catalina.

Ballots should arrive at the BPC between 10:30 and 11 p.m., where they will be checked in, inspected and prepared before being put in the scanners that count each vote.

– Andrea Valadez

3 p.m.: Lalo on CALÓ chimes in on Election Day

Can't have a midterm election without our resident cartoonist, Lalo Alcaraz, chiming in.

His latest touches on increased immigration enforcement operations targeting Latinos, a strong supporting bloc in previous elections.

And one other on the importance of casting your ballot.

– CALÓ News Staff

1:07 p.m.: CHIRLA recommends what to do for a safe voting day

The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) issued a statement to promote a safe voting day on Nov. 3. 

“In the midst of unprecedented attacks on California values by this Administration, and while we face ongoing efforts to intimidate and dissuade our communities from exercising their right to vote, we have spearheaded a robust phone banking, door-to-door, and digital effort across the state to educate, listen, and urge our community to vote early," said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA executive director. "We must remember that our vote makes us powerful, and our power frightens them. That’s why they are working so hard to take it away."

The statement added that California law protects polling places from federal immigration presence and interference.

If you are in line at 8 p.m. when polls close, you can still cast your vote.

You have the right not to be harassed or intimidated at a voting location.

To report an incident, please contact the State Voter Hotlines:

*(800) 345-8683 - English

*(800) 232-8682 - español / Spanish

*(800) 339-2857 - 中文 / Chinese

*(888) 345-2692 - हिन्दी / Hindi

*(800) 339-2865 - 日本語 / Japanese

*(888) 345-4917 - ខ្មែរ / Khmer

*(866) 575-1558 - 한국어 / Korean

*(800) 339-2957 - Tagalog

*(855) 345-3933 - ภาษาไทย / Thai

*(800) 339-8163 - Việt ngữ / Vietnamese

11:50 a.m.: SELA 'caravan to the polls' promotes voting

Tuesday morning, Southeast Los Angeles residents were visited by the "Caravan to the Polls," organized by the SELA Collaborative, the Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM), AltaMed Health Services, the Pat Brown Institute, CalMatters and more. 

Kicking off the civic engagement campaign in Huntington Park, the "SELA Decides" campaign started at 10 a.m. and intended to go through through various communities in Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Lynwood, Maywood, South Gate and Vernon, to remind residents of the importance of participating in the election.

– Victoria Valenzuela

11:25 a.m.: Karen Bass rallies with union workers on Election Day 

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Karen Bass arrived in Westlake to rally with union workers the morning of Election Day.  

She arrived at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor headquarters to speak to canvassers who will knock on doors in the final stretch of her reelection campaign.  

For months, the mayoral race has made national headlines as both candidates have been at a dead heat. 

The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times revealed in their latest poll that both Bass and City Councilmember Raman were in a statistical tie, with each having 40% of voter support. 

Bass cast her vote on Nov. 2. 

In the past, she told CALÓ News that if she wins a second term, she will continue to prioritize affordable housing.

Just this year, the number of people experiencing homelessness in L.A. increased by 3.3%, according to the 2026 Homeless Count.  

“I can't deal with the gas prices. I can't deal with the food prices. That [rests with] the White House and the instability that the president has created,” she said. “But what I can do is housing, and so we have built more housing, more affordable housing in my four years than was built [in] the 10 years previous.”

– Amairani Hernández and Brenda Verano. Photos: Brenda Verano

10:30 a.m.: Karen Bass speaks during Election Day

CALÓ News asked Karen Bass: If reelected, you are going to represent more than 45% of the Latino population that lives in LA. Any message for Latino voters? Here’s what she had to say.

– Amairani Hernandez

10:10 a.m.: Xavier Becerra casts his ballot

California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra and his wife Dr. Carolina Reyes cast their ballots at the Belle Cooledge Community Center in Sacramento on Nov. 3.

– Andrea Valadez

7:53 a.m.: L.A. mayoral candidate Nithya Raman casts her vote 

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman arrives at the Silver Lake Community Church to cast her vote on Nov. 3. 

If elected, Raman would represent about four million L.A. residents, the majority (47%) of whom are Latino.

This morning Raman arrived at the same community church in Silver Lake where she cast her vote in June. She was inside for about 20 minutes, accompanied by her family, including her husband and kids. 

The mayoral race has made national headlines, with both candidates in a dead heat. The UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times revealed in their latest poll that both Bass and Raman were in a statistical tie, with each having  40% of voter support. The poll released less than a week ago also showed that at that time 19% of voters were still undecided. 

Raman told CALÓ News that as mayor she wants to address housing and homelessness as it is one of the top issues for Latino families.

“For many Latino families here in L.A., they are actually facing a higher rent burden, evictions at higher rates and economic and housing insecurity at higher rates than other residents. These are things that are at the core of my [mayoral] platform,” she said. “I want to make this city work for them, and I will do everything in my power to do so.”

– Amairani Hernandez and Brenda Verano

7 a.m.: It’s Election Day in L.A. How to find your polling place

Polling places in California are open Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you received your ballot in the mail, you have until 8 p.m. to drop off your ballot at a polling location or at your nearest drop-off box.

If you are mailing your mail-in ballot, it must be postmarked Nov. 3 by a U.S. postal worker in order to be counted.

To find your polling location, head over to the Secretary of State website https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place and write in your address. If you live in Los Angeles County, visit the Registrar of Voters website https://locator.lavote.gov/locations/vc?culture=en and look up your address for your nearest polling place.

– Joanna Jacobo Rivera