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AP20:011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2020
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
Millions of Vote-by-Mail Ballots on the Way to California Voters; Early Voting Begins at County Elections Office
SACRAMENTO, CA – Californians registered to vote by mail can expect to see their ballots arriving in the coming days. All California county elections offices must begin mailing ballots to domestic voters today for the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election.
“While the nation awaits the results of the Iowa Caucuses, millions of ballots are on their way to California voters who vote by mail,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla. “More vote-by-mail ballots will be sent out in California than the populations of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada—combined. The California Presidential Primary may be on Super Tuesday, but for millions of Californians, it is really Super February.”
“There are no shortage of options for returning your vote-by-mail ballot. Every vote-by-mail ballot now comes with a prepaid postage return envelope—so it’s no stamp, no problem. Californians can also return their vote-by-mail ballots at any polling place or vote center. I expect record turnout this year, so I encourage Californians to consider voting early and returning their vote-by-mail ballots ahead of Election Day,” Padilla added.
Click here to view the How to Vote by Mail in California video
For the past eight statewide elections in California, a majority of the votes cast were through vote-by-mail ballots.Click here to view historical California vote-by-mail statistics.
NOTE: The Secretary of State’s office does not issue, receive, or count ballots. Elections officials in each of California’s 58 counties print, process, and count ballots.
Tips for Vote-by-Mail Voters:
- If you’re not sure of your registration status, visit the Secretary of State’s My Voter Status tool at: https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/. You can also use this tool to check the status of your vote-by-mail ballot once it has been received by county elections officials.
- You can drop off your ballot at any polling place or vote center, or your county elections office, through Election Day.
- Before returning your ballot, you must remember to sign the return envelope provided with your vote-by-mail ballot.
- Ballots that are returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and received by county elections officials no later than three days after the election.
- Every vote-by-mail ballot comes with a prepaid postage return envelope.
- If you’ve registered to vote by mail, but believe you have not received your ballot, contact your county elections office.
You can also use this tool to check the status of your vote-by-mail ballot once it has been received by county elections officials.
- You can drop off your ballot at any polling place or vote center, or your county elections office, through Election Day.
- Before returning your ballot, you must remember to sign the return envelope provided with your vote-by-mail ballot.
- Ballots that are returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by county elections officials no later than three days after the election.
- Every vote-by-mail ballot comes with a prepaid postage return envelope.
- If you’ve registered to vote by mail, but believe you have not received your ballot, contact your county elections office.
Tips for No Party Preference Voters
In December, county elections offices mailed postcards with presidential primary voting options to every No Party Preference voter who registered to vote-by-mail. The American Independent, Democratic, and Libertarian parties are allowing No Party Preference voters to participate in their March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Elections. No Party Preference voters who completed and returned this postcard will receive a vote-by-mail ballot with presidential candidates.
No Party Preference voters who did not return these postcards will receive vote-by-mail ballots without presidential candidates.
Here is what you can do if you receive a vote-by-mail ballot without presidential candidates:
- Do not vote that ballot if you want to vote in a presidential primary. If you vote that ballot you cannot receive another.
- If you want a replacement ballot with presidential candidates from the American Independent, Democratic, or Libertarian Parties, you can request a replacement ballot from your county elections office by phone, email, or fax.
- You can take your ballot into your county elections office, a vote center, or your polling place and exchange it for one with candidates.
- If you want to vote for Green, Peace and Freedom, or Republican Party presidential candidates you will need to re-register with that party and then request a new ballot either from your county office or at a vote center or polling place.
Election Changes in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne Counties
Every registered voter in Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sacramento, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Tuolumne counties will automatically receive a vote-by-mail ballot. This is part of the Voter’s Choice Act, which has been adopted by these counties. Voters in these counties will be able to return their ballot via mail or at any ballot drop box or vote center located in their county. Voters in these counties will also have the option to vote in person at any vote center. Vote centers will be open for 11 days up to and including Election Day. Voters who lose their ballots or make a mistake while marking their ballot can receive a new replacement ballot at any vote center in their county.
Click here for more information on the Voter’s Choice Act.
*Los Angeles County is also implementing the Voter’s Choice Act, however not every voter will be automatically mailed a ballot. For more on Los Angeles County’s implementation of the Voter’s Choice Act, visit: https://lavote.net/home/voting-elections/voting-options/new-voting-experience/
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