It's Wednesday. Here's what you need to know about casting a primary ballot. Also, a Covid update. |
 | | Voting at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in September 2021.Alexandra Hootnick for The New York Times |
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With everything else demanding Americans' attention right now, you may have forgotten that California's primary election is on Tuesday, less than a week away. |
And you certainly wouldn't be alone: According to Political Data Inc., which tracks voter turnout, just 8 percent of California voters, or less than two million, have cast their ballots early so far. That number is much smaller than the six million who had voted by this time before last year's recall election, Paul Mitchell, Political Data's vice president, has noted. |
That suggests that the state's electorate is less engaged than last year, when the governor was locked in a fierce battle to keep his job. |
But California's leaders have tried to make it easy with another mail-ballot election. And you still have plenty of time to weigh in on the state's most pressing questions. |
Need a refresher? Here are answers to some questions about voting in California: |
How do I get a ballot? Should I already have received one? |
One major way that California has made it easier to vote is by sending a ballot to every active, registered voter. And yes, you should have gotten your ballot in the mail by now. You can track it online through the state's "Where's My Ballot?" system, which will let you know by email if it was sent or delivered, and then when it's received and counted. |
If you haven't gotten one (or you can't find it), you can vote in person at a polling place or vote center. In many counties, at least one polling place will be open early. Click here to look up places to vote near you. If you're not sure if you're registered to vote, you can check your voter registration here. |
If you're not yet registered, no problem: You can register to vote as late as Tuesday at your county elections office, your local polling place or a vote center. Your ballot will be provisional, but once your registration goes through, your vote will be counted like any other. |
Where can I drop off my ballot? |
You can drop off your ballot at any polling place, vote center, county elections office or official ballot drop box. Or you can mail it. |
When is the last day to vote? |
Tuesday is the last day to vote or drop off your ballot, and polls close at 8 p.m. If you mail your ballot, it will be counted as long as it arrives at your county elections office no more than a week after Election Day. (So if you're mailing your ballot, you may want to do so a couple days early, just to be safe.) |
There's a wide range of races for statewide office, as well as many local contests. You'll be asked to make your pick for governor (Gov. Gavin Newsom is up for re-election), lieutenant governor, treasurer, attorney general and more. |
You'll be asked to vote for a House representative. And you'll be asked to vote for U.S. senator — twice: Once to fill the remainder of Vice President Kamala Harris's term, which ends in January, and once for the full six-year term that begins after that. |
Then, depending on where you live, you'll have local elections for your city council, district attorney, mayor, state legislators and more. (In San Francisco, for instance, voters will be asked whether to recall Chesa Boudin, the district attorney.) |
How does California's primary system work? |
As of 2011, California has what's known as a top-two primary system, which means the top two candidates will move on to the general election in November regardless of their political party. Races in November could be showdowns between two Democrats or two Republicans, rather than the top Democrat and the top Republican. |
In nearly all of the statewide elections, there will be a runoff, even if one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote. State superintendent of public instruction is a notable exception. |
In local races, a candidate can win outright with a majority of the vote. The highest profile example is the Los Angeles mayor's race. (If one candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote this month, they'll become mayor without facing a runoff in November.) |
We want to hear from you. |
If you read one story, make it this |
Last year, during the wave driven by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, people 65 and older died from Covid at lower rates. But with Omicron and waning immunity, death rates have risen again. |
 | | Visitors at Disneyland in April. Alex Welsh for The New York Times |
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- Magic Key pause: The Disneyland Resort has paused sales of its Magic Key annual passes and announced a new ticket offer for California residents, KTLA reports.
- Pesticide halt: A ruling by a Sacramento judge ordered a stop to a statewide program of spraying pesticides, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- Hepatitis outbreak: Fifteen cases of hepatitis A in California were linked to organic strawberries.
- Child abuse database: State auditors found that more than half of recent California child abuse reports were not in the state's database, The Associated Press reports.
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- Cosby case: A civil case against Bill Cosby in Santa Monica will begin with opening statements today, The Associated Press reports.
- Homeless ban: The Los Angeles City Council is taking steps to bar homeless encampments within 500 feet of schools and day care centers, The Los Angeles Times reports.
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- Farmland retirement: A state program aimed at retiring and repurposing farmland could more than double its funding under a budget proposed by Newsom, The Bakersfield Californian reports.
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- Solar executive sentenced: Alan Hansen, a former executive of a solar company, was sentenced on Tuesday for his role in a $1 billion fraud scheme, The Associated Press reports.
- Wine country fire: The Old fire, which started on Tuesday afternoon just north of Napa, has grown to nearly 400 acres and has prompted evacuations, The Sacramento Bee reports.
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 | | Evan Sung for The New York Times |
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 | | Darcy Padilla for The New York Times |
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Today's tip comes from Jennifer Jones, who recommends a 900-acre coastal park in San Mateo County: "I am in love with Huddart Park in Woodside. It has miles of hiking trails, wildlife and gorgeous trees. I have been hiking there for 30 years." |
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. |
 | | Ted Sams, 78, at his high school graduation last week.Sarah Reingewirtz/The Orange County Register, via Associated Press |
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And before you go, some good news |
Six decades ago, Ted Sams got in trouble about a week before the end of the school year at San Gabriel High School, missed a key final exam and had an unpaid $4.80 book fee. |
So he left and never came back for his diploma. |
But as of Friday, Sams, now 78, can finally call himself a high school graduate. He crossed the stage with the Class of 2022 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, The Associated Press reports. |
Thanks for reading. We'll be back tomorrow. |
Soumya Karlamangla, Briana Scalia and Mariel Wamsley contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
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