Los Angeles County residents forced from their homes by recent wildfires do not have to sit out the June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election. County election officials say you should keep your permanent residential address on file and simply add a temporary mailing address so your ballot and election materials follow you while you are displaced. Keeping that home address locked in also keeps you in your original voting districts, so you still see the local races and measures tied to your home community. With Vote by Mail packets already rolling out and the May 18 registration deadline bearing down, officials are nudging displaced voters to update their mailing details as soon as possible.
What the county says
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is telling wildfire survivors they do not need to change their voter registration if their move is temporary. Instead, voters should keep using their permanent residential address and add a temporary mailing address where they can safely receive their ballot, according to the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. The office stresses that your home address is what sets your voting districts, which in turn determines which local contests and measures appear on your ballot. If you have permanently relocated, however, the guidance is clear: update your home address, since a new residence can change which ballot you receive.
Two ways to update your mailing address
If you have internet access, you can add a temporary mailing address by re-registering online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov. Put your permanent residence in the “Home Address” field and your current location in the “Mailing Address” section. The last day to register to vote for the June 2 primary is May 18, 2026, according to the California Secretary of State. Prefer a human on the other end of the line? You can call the Registrar’s voter hotline at (800) 815-2666 and select option 2 for help updating your registration, as reported by CBS Los Angeles.
When ballots are mailed and key dates
According to the county news release, Vote by Mail ballots for Los Angeles County started going out at the end of April, and Sample Ballot Books will be in the mail through May 12. The same release notes that election materials are available in multiple languages and that official ballot drop boxes and Vote Centers will open in the weeks leading up to Election Day. To make your vote count, you need to be sure your completed Vote by Mail ballot is either postmarked by, or dropped off at a drop box or Vote Center before, 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
In-person help and recovery centers
The County of Los Angeles has also put out a recovery bulletin listing walk-in disaster recovery centers, pop-up outreach events and language assistance for wildfire survivors, including help with records and elections questions at hubs such as the Eaton Fire Collaborative in Altadena, according to the county bulletin. The bulletin points displaced residents to no-cost vital and property records and to phone lines staffed for language support. If you are unsure how to handle your voter information while you are displaced, the Registrar’s hotline and local recovery centers can walk you through the forms and next steps.
Bottom line: unless you have permanently moved, keep your home address on file, add a temporary mailing address online or by calling (800) 815-2666 and choosing option 2, then watch for your ballot packet in late April or early May so you can return it by 8 p.m. on June 2, 2026. County staff and recovery hubs are in place specifically to help displaced voters stay in the mix.
