The Department of Elections Begins Processing Returned Vote-By-Mail Ballots for the November 3, 2026, Consolidated General Election

Department of Elections
City and County of San Francisco
John Arntz, Director

For Immediate Release
SAN FRANCISCO, Tuesday, October 6, 2026 – The Department of Elections will begin processing vote-by-mail ballots returned by voters for the November 3 election. Ballot processing includes sorting and scanning returned ballot envelopes, verifying signatures, extracting ballot cards from envelopes, and scanning them. Members of the public can observe these processes in person at the Department’s office in City Hall, Room 48 or watch live streams available at sfelections.gov/observe.

“Every returned ballot receives careful attention,” said Director John Arntz. “Our staff follow strict chain-of-custody procedures so that no single individual handles a ballot independently. Before processing ballots, staff complete thorough training and review and acknowledge our security protocols. We invite the public to observe this work and see firsthand the care and safeguards that go into preparing every ballot for counting.”

The process begins by capturing an image of the signature on each ballot envelope and comparing it with the signature in the voter’s registration record. Once verified, the envelope is opened and the ballot cards are extracted and prepared for scanning. Throughout this process, Department personnel follow established safeguards to protect the integrity of the election, ensure one person, one vote, and preserve the secrecy of every ballot.

The Department prioritizes verifying signatures on returned vote-by-mail ballot envelopes within one day of receipt, whether delivered by USPS or deposited in an official ballot drop box. This timeline supports timely updates through the Voter Portal at sfelections.gov/voterportal, where voters can track their ballots and confirm when they have been accepted for counting.

For more information about the November 3 election, contact the Department of Elections at (415) 558-6100, email sfvote@sfgov.org, or visit the Department’s office in City Hall, Room 48.

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