EL CENTRO, Imperial County — October 23, 2026. Voters in El Centro can return completed mail ballots at designated county drop boxes now and have a nearby early in-person voting option scheduled to open Saturday, October 24. The Imperial County voting guide lists the El Centro Public Library at 1198 North Imperial Avenue among county vote centers operating October 24–November 3.

Public Library voting hours

The county lists hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., October 24 through November 2, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 3 for the early-opening locations, including El Centro Public Library. This is a county-operated election service: consult the official elections website for any changes, accessibility provisions or special circumstances rather than relying solely on a newspaper article.

Drop boxes at the county administration center

Imperial County also lists County Administration Center — West and County Administration Center — East drop boxes at 940 West Main Street, El Centro. The county says its designated 24-hour ballot drop boxes became available October 5. Check the Registrar of Voters and official locator for the correct entrance and any updates.

Registering late or replacing a ballot

October 19 was California’s ordinary voter-registration deadline for the November 3 general election. However, eligible voters who missed it may be able to conditionally register and vote at qualifying in-person locations through Election Day. The Secretary of State’s official guide also explains how to request a replacement ballot if yours is missing or damaged.

How to find your actual local races

The El Centro City Clerk’s webpage links to qualified candidates for the November 3, 2026 election. Consult those records and the county’s current-election page before sharing candidate lists or local ballot-measure claims. Voters’ individual ballots can differ by district and residence.

Before you return your ballot

Follow all instructions and sign the return envelope. For mail returns, the Secretary of State recommends mailing at least seven days ahead of November 3 to reduce postmark problems. Official in-person returns must be completed by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters may follow the ballot’s processing status using Where’s My Ballot? or the Secretary of State’s voter-status page.

More Imperial Valley coverage: Calexico News · El Centro News. Send official-document corrections or news tips to the newsroom and support local journalism.

Sources: Imperial County Registrar of Voters; City of El Centro Clerk’s Office; California Secretary of State. This is independent, nonpartisan public-service reporting, not an endorsement or official polling notice. Locations and schedules are subject to change.

YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER NEEDS YOU

Help this community newspaper grow

Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.

Donate once by card ↗
Help El Centro News grow Help strengthen reporting on El Centro: community voices, important decisions and local life.
Support El Centro News

Choose how to support El Centro News:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal Continue with Zelle

Zelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.

Optional reader support. When possible, add “El Centro News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.
Optional support through the publisher. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible and never buy editorial influence.

El Centro News — Your Community Newspaper

Have a correction, news tip, local announcement, or story to submit? Contact our editorial team. All submissions are reviewed before publication.

Contact the El Centro News newsroom →

More from El Centro News

Explore more local reporting and community updates on the newspaper homepage.

Visit El Centro News →

COMMUNITY

Comments

Join the California58 conversation. You must be signed in to comment.