(KTXL) — For every election, ballots are mailed out to every registered voter in California. Voters can fill out, sign, and return their ballot by mail and track the ballot’s progress online. 

The ballot tracking process is part of a “Where’s My Ballot?” service offered by the California Secretary of State. 

The service, available in every county, allows voters to get notified when their ballot is mailed, received and counted. Voters can also receive notifications through emails, text or voice calls.   

You can sign up for the service here.

Registered voters can sign in with their first and last name, date of birth and zip code. Once you’re logged in, there are four steps the ballot takes to get counted: ballot outbound, inbound, received and accepted. 

Here is the process of each step of tracking your ballot. 

Ballot Outbound

This first step of the process notifies voters when their ballots have been mailed to their home addresses. For voters wondering where their ballot is, the “Ballot Outbound” step on your account lets you know it’s on its way from the post office. 

The “Where’s My Ballot” website will tell you to look for your ballot in your mailbox soon. 

Ballot Inbound

Once you fill out your ballot and drop it into the mailbox, this step lets you know that the Postal Service has picked it up and is taking it to your county’s elections office. According to the website, the Postal Service will notify the state that they received your ballot and that it’s taking it to the election office in your county. 

Ballot Received

This step of the process lets the voter know their county’s election office has received their ballot. Ballots that are mailed in are held and sorted but are not officially counted until Election Day. 

Ballot Accepted

This is the final step of the process that notifies voters that their local election office confirms that it has received their ballot and counted their vote.