From the Washington Post:

The legislation permanently extends vote-by-mail provisions enacted in California during the coronavirus pandemic. Those provisions were in place during the 2020 election as well as during this month’s unsuccessful campaign to recall Newsom.

Even though ballots will be mailed for each election, California voters can still opt to go to the polls in person if they prefer.

California joins several other states — such as Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington — that have been mailing ballots to all voters even before the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans in California’s state legislature opposed the legislation and were unsuccessful in pushing for changes to the measure.

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D), who oversees the state’s elections, said the new law is likely to boost voter participation….

According to Weber’s office, nearly 87 percent of Californians who voted in the 2020 general election cast their ballot by mail. That compares with about 65 percent in 2018 and 58 percent in 2016.