【Epoch Times News, October 13, 2026】The 2026 midterm elections in the United States have entered the crucial stage of the final voting. Chinese-American voters, especially new voters, often find themselves confused upon receiving their mail-in ballots. In response to this, Southern California lawyer Longzhu Liu has provided clarifications on four main issues to help voters clear their doubts.
Longzhu Liu pointed out that based on recent data on rejected ballots in California, the most common issues with mail-in ballots are “mailed too late” and “signature mismatch or omission.” He also heard some Chinese-Americans say they “can’t understand the proposition content” and “don’t know how to correctly return the ballot.” Addressing these challenges, he explained solutions one by one:
According to California regulations, ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day (November 3) and delivered within 7 days after Election Day. Due to recent adjustments in the pickup times by the United States Postal Service, there is a high risk in mailing the ballot on Election Day itself.
Solution: It is recommended to mail out the ballot at least a week before Election Day; a more secure method would be to directly drop it in an official drop box or personally deliver it to a voting center, which can be completed before 8 p.m. on Election Day and does not depend on a postmark. Longzhu Liu specifically emphasized that it is advisable to vote early and not wait until the last day.
The signature on the ballot must roughly match the voter’s registration file (often the DMV electronic signature). This is one of the most common reasons for ballot rejection in California.
Solution: When signing, try to be consistent with your usual signature habits, write your full name, avoid using abbreviations or being too sloppy. If you receive a “signature remedy notice” from the county election office, be sure to follow the instructions to sign and return it by the deadline via mail, fax, email, or in person.
Longzhu Liu reminded that many Chinese-American voters have given up at this step because they do not understand the English notification. However, the signature issue can be remedied.
Both Los Angeles and Orange County provide Chinese-language ballots and voter information guides. However, many voters still find the proposition explanations too complicated or worry that the Chinese translation may not be accurate.
To assist voters with doubts, Longzhu Liu has written and printed the “Chinese Voter Guide for Orange County and Los Angeles County.” It clearly lists the key points for all state positions, federal positions, state legislative seats, and various state propositions in Chinese.
For example, this year’s California ballot propositions include opposition to multiple large-scale borrowing and tax increase proposals, support for implementing voter identity verification, protection of local taxpayers (maintenance of Proposition 13), streamlining regulations, reducing housing costs, and other measures. Voters only need to refer to the guide and mark their choices on the official ballot to significantly reduce the chances of errors and the risk of abstention.
Voters should fill in only the designated oval circles on the ballot, avoid making checks or going beyond the designated area; one vote per selection, avoid overvoting; seal the ballot back in its original envelope after signing; prioritize using official drop boxes or voting centers rather than regular mailboxes.
Moreover, Longzhu Liu reminds that if you have moved and not updated your address, did not receive a ballot, or received a ballot for the previous resident, please contact the county election office promptly to confirm your registration status, or visit a voting center for assistance.
Voters can directly contact the language assistance hotline at the county election office or seek help from local Chinese community organizations or voting center staff to ensure that the ballot is accurately filled out and returned on time.
Longzhu Liu stated that to help voters successfully cast their votes, he offers free telephone consultations. If you have any questions about filling out the ballot, signatures, mailing methods, proposition content, or any part of the voting process, feel free to call: (909) 468-2165.
“The ‘Voter Guide’ is a tool, and the phone support is a backup. My goal is simple: to ensure that Chinese-American voters do not give up their rights due to not understanding, fear of making mistakes, or fear of mailing late,” he concluded, emphasizing that California’s official Election Day and voting deadline is on November 3. “Every vote is precious, so please vote early to ensure that your ballot is correctly counted and do not wait until the last minute.”
This article represents the author’s viewpoint, aiming to help voters understand the voting process and precautions, and may not necessarily reflect the stance of The Epoch Times. ◇