Bo Tefu | California Black Media
Young voters in San Francisco and across California may want to think twice about waiting until the last minute to mail their ballots.
California voters ages 18 to 24 are more likely than older voters to have mail ballots rejected because they arrive late, according to a new report from the Public Policy Institute of California. Researchers found that 3.1% of ballots mailed by voters in that age group were rejected for lateness during the 2025 Proposition 50 special election.
The difference between generations was substantial. No more than 0.5% of ballots from voters 65 and older were rejected for arriving late across the 2022, 2024 and 2025 elections examined by researchers. Among voters ages 18 to 24, the rate was 3.9% in 2022 and 1.7% in 2024.
Experience also mattered. Voters who had not participated in the previous general election consistently had higher late-ballot rejection rates than returning voters, suggesting that people less familiar with California’s voting process may face a greater risk of missing deadlines.
Changes at the U.S. Postal Service appear to explain part, but not all, of the problem. Researchers found larger increases in late ballots in ZIP codes affected by the USPS Regional Transportation Optimization program. Those changes, however, accounted for only about 19% of the statewide increase.
For San Francisco voters, the takeaway is simple. Don’t depend on the mailbox at the last minute. Researchers recommend that younger voters return ballots earlier or use available in-person drop-off options as Election Day approaches.
