California officials urge voters to mail their ballots at least 1 week before Election Day

With Election Day three weeks away, California voters are already receiving ballots in the mail, and state officials are encouraging residents to cast their votes early to avoid potential delays.

Attorney General Rob Bonta urged voters planning to return their ballots by mail to do so at least one week before Election Day. He said voters should not assume ballots mailed on Election Day will receive a timely postmark.

"In the June primary this year, about 150,000 mail ballots were rejected - nearly two-thirds of them because they were postmarked or received after the deadline," Bonta said Tuesday.

State officials also pointed to early voting as a way to help speed vote counting. California has faced criticism in recent elections for the length of time required to tabulate election results.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber said voting early gives election officials more time to process ballots before Election Day.

"The reality is, if you vote early, we have an opportunity to begin that counting process so that when we come down to the end of that night we're not confronted with lots and lots of ballots that are just being turned in, and folks who haven't actually taken advantage of the opportunity to really fill out their ballots and they're at the very last minute getting it done," Weber said.

In many counties, early in-person voting centers are scheduled to open Saturday, Oct. 24.

Bonta also addressed the potential for the Trump administration to start sending federal agents to polling places, though he did not specify what actions, if any, could be taken in response.

"Whether it be the National Guard, whether it be the military, whether it be ICE at or near polling stations, we are duty-bound, in my opinion, and obligated to consider that possibility and be prepared for it if it happens," Bonta said.

Officials continued to encourage voters to take advantage of early voting opportunities and return mail ballots well before Election Day.