Monday, September 14, 2026
Pacific Edition
A working California calendar
California deadlines; without the scavenger hunt.
Election, tax and workplace dates that may change what Californians need to do next; each entry links to the agency record behind it.
Current California deadlines
- Tomorrow
Taxes; Deadline
Federal estimated-tax installment
September 15 is the general federal estimated-tax due date for income received from June 1 through August 31. California also lists a third installment date, but its standard schedule assigns 0% to that installment; annualized-income situations can differ.
What to do: Check the federal amount due and the California 540-ES worksheet that applies to your income pattern.
- 10 days
Elections; Start date
State and county voter guides begin mailing
The state and county voter-information-guide mailing period runs from September 24 through October 13.
What to do: Review the online state guide now; contact the county elections office if expected local material does not arrive.
- 21 days
Elections; Start date
Ballots begin mailing; early voting begins
County officials must begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots to active registered voters no later than October 5. Early voting also begins.
What to do: Verify the mailing address in My Voter Status and check the official early-voting locator for local hours.
- 22 days
Elections; Start date
Ballot drop-off locations open statewide
All counties must open vote-by-mail ballot drop-off locations by October 6; the locations remain available through Election Day.
What to do: Use the official early-voting locator or county elections office to confirm a current location and schedule.
- 31 days
Taxes; Deadline
2025 individual income-tax returns on extension
October 15 is the ordinary filing deadline for California individual returns under the state’s automatic extension and for federal individual returns with a timely extension. The ordinary payment deadline remained April 15.
What to do: File the applicable return, retain acceptance records and confirm whether a disaster, military or overseas rule changes the date.
- 35 days
Elections; Deadline
Standard voter-registration deadline
October 19 is the last day to register online or have a paper registration application postmarked for the November 3 general election.
What to do: Register or confirm the record through the Secretary of State; conditional registration remains available after this date.
- 36 days
Elections; Start date
Conditional voter registration begins
Eligible voters who miss the standard deadline can conditionally register and cast a provisional ballot from October 20 through Election Day.
What to do: Confirm the participating county office, polling location or vote center before traveling.
- 40 days
Elections; Start date
First Voter’s Choice Act vote centers open
The first vote centers open in participating Voter’s Choice Act counties on October 24; other early-voting schedules vary by county.
What to do: Use the official locator to verify whether the county participates and which centers are open.
- 43 days
Elections; Recommended date
Replacement vote-by-mail ballot request
October 27 is the state’s recommended date to submit a replacement-ballot application. It is guidance, not a final cutoff for every later ballot problem.
What to do: Contact the county elections office immediately if a ballot is missing, lost or destroyed.
- 50 days
Elections; Deadline
California General Election Day
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3; personally returned ballots must arrive by 8 p.m.
What to do: If mailing on Election Day, obtain a hand-stamped postmark from a postal employee inside a U.S. Post Office.
- 57 days
Elections; Deadline
Mailed ballot receipt deadline
A mailed vote-by-mail ballot postmarked on or before Election Day must reach the county elections office no later than November 10.
What to do: Use Where’s My Ballot or the county ballot-status system to confirm receipt and acceptance.
- 72 days
Elections; Deadline
Ballot signature-cure statements due
A completed statement addressing a missing or noncomparable vote-by-mail envelope signature must reach the county elections office by 5 p.m. on November 25.
What to do: Follow the instructions for the county that holds the voter record; county procedures can differ.
- 80 days
Elections; Deadline
County election results certification
December 3 is the last day for county elections officials to certify their general-election results.
What to do: Treat election-night and canvass-period totals as unofficial until the applicable certification is complete.
- 88 days
Elections; Deadline
California Statement of Vote certification
The Secretary of State’s certified Statement of Vote and certificates of election are scheduled for December 11.
What to do: Use the certified state record for final statewide results.
- 109 days
Workplace; Change
California minimum wage becomes $17.40
The statewide minimum wage rises to $17.40 an hour. The associated minimum salary threshold for many overtime exemptions becomes $72,384; duties tests and other requirements still apply.
What to do: Check the work location, industry, pay rate and applicable local rule; some local or industry rates are higher.
- 123 days
Taxes; Deadline
Fourth estimated-tax installment
January 15 is the general fourth-installment date for 2026 federal estimated tax and the California schedule’s fourth payment. Filing early can change the federal or state January-payment requirement in qualifying cases.
What to do: Use the applicable federal and California worksheets; confirm any early-filing, farming, fishing or fiscal-year exception.
Dates can change for specific taxpayers, counties and individual circumstances; use the linked agency record before acting.
Get the Journal briefingHow to use this page
A reminder is not the final authority.
This page translates statewide source material into a practical sequence. It does not replace county instructions, individual tax advice, workplace-specific rules or a notice issued directly to you.
The Journal distinguishes firm deadlines, start dates, recommended dates and scheduled changes. When circumstances vary, the entry says so and sends readers to the responsible agency.
Primary record
Sources and references
- IRS: Publication 505 for 2026
- California FTB: Estimated tax payments
- California Secretary of State: Key Dates and Deadlines
- California Secretary of State: General Election
- California FTB: Personal due dates
- IRS: 2025 return e-file due dates
- California Secretary of State: Election Dates and Resources
- California Secretary of State: Verify My Signature
- California DIR: 2027 minimum wage announcement
- California FTB: 2026 Form 540-ES instructions
Need the people on the statewide ballot? Open the 2026 candidate guide