Your local guide to navigating the November 2026 General Election

Voter Guide 2026

Get to know the candidates and measures on your ballot with The Almanac’s 2026 Voter Guide, including in-depth profiles, issue comparison grids and campaign finance coverage.

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Latest Election Coverage

Menlo Park City School Board: Jed Scolnick

Jed Scolnick first joined the board in 2022 and is seeking reelection to continue working with the district as it faces declining enrollment, delivering Measure U-funded projects transparently and protecting long-term financial health.

October 12, 2026 3:47 pmOctober 12, 2026 3:47 pm

Menlo Park City School Board: Sherwin Chen

Over his past two terms, Chen has helped the district navigate students returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, ending years of budget deficits and introducing a parcel tax that stabilized district finances, according to his candidate statement.

October 12, 2026 3:45 pmOctober 12, 2026 3:46 pm

Menlo Park City School Board: Andrew Barnes

Barnes is the parent of a Laurel School and Hillview graduate and is the chairman of the Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee for Measure U. He works for the County of Santa Clara’s Facilities and Fleet Department, managing acquisitions and building improvements.

October 12, 2026 3:44 pmOctober 12, 2026 3:44 pm

Menlo Park City School Board: Maya Herstein

Herstein has served on the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan committee, co-chaired Hillview’s service team and volunteered with the Parent Teacher Organization.

October 12, 2026 3:41 pmOctober 12, 2026 3:49 pm

Election Resources

Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026

Polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day
In-person ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received within seven days following the election

Key Dates & Deadlines

Oct. 5: Start of the early voting period. County election officials will begin mailing ballots to voters. Ballot drop boxes open and early voting begins at the Redwood City, San Mateo and South San Francisco, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Oct. 19: Last day to register to vote with a standard ballot. (Note: Conditional voter registration is available in-person through Election Day, which involves the use of a provisional ballot.)
Oct. 24: San Mateo County Registrar of Voters office Vote Centers open daily across the county.
Oct. 27: Last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot replacement by mail.
Oct. 31: Additional vote centers open in the county.
Nov. 3: Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. In-person ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received within seven days following the election.

Check your voter registration

Make sure your registration is current. Voters should re-register if they change their name, political affiliation or residence.

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Vote by mail

Get details about the process of voting by mail, including information on the different ways to return your ballot.

Learn about voting by mail →

Vote in person

Find vote center locations, hours and information about early in-person voting.

Find where to vote →

Track your ballot

Sign up for the state’s “Where’s My Ballot?” tool. You will then receive notifications on the status of your vote-by-mail ballot, including when it’s mailed, received and counted.

Track your ballot →