Inside Elections

Entries tagged as ‘Vote By Mail’

Did you mail your ballot yet?

October 28, 2008 · 1 Comment

It’s October 28 and you haven’t mailed in your Vote by Mail ballot yet.  Now what?  Well, first, don’t stick it in the mail!  If you put your ballot in the mail now, you’ll run the risk of it not arriving in our office by Election.

Yeah, I know what some of you are thinking.  It’s seven whole days before the Election — why in the world would you have to mail it so early?

The answer is simple – Do you really want to risk your ballot not coming in on time?

If you haven’t mailed your ballot in yet, you still have plenty of options to cast your vote on time.

Option 1

Stop by either Elections office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo or 555 County Center (1st Floor) in Redwood City during business hours.  Leave your ballot with our Election staff or turn it in to vote in person.

Option 2

Come to 40 Tower Road in San Mateo any hour of the day and leave your voted Vote by Mail ballot in our Ballot Box.  It looks just like a Post Office mail box, but it’s painted red, white, and blue, and says “Ballot Box” on the side.  You don’t have to put postage on your ballot if you leave it in this box.

Option 3

Stop by any San Mateo County city hall and place your voted Vote by Mail ballot in the black box with the huge sign on it that says “BALLOT BOX – Deposit your Vote by Mail Ballot Here.” [UPDATE] If you choose this option, make sure you drop off your ballot BEFORE Election Day.  The ballot boxes won’t be there on Nov. 4.

Option 4

Drop off your voted Vote by Mail ballot at any San Mateo County polling place on Election Day!

Categories: Ballots · Election Day/Night · Elections Office · Poll workers · Polling place · Vote By Mail · Vote counting · Voting · eSlates · early voting
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Are you in an All-Mail Ballot area?

October 25, 2008 · Leave a Comment

You will be receiving a postcard over the next couple days notifying you of your status as a voter in an All-Mail Ballot Precinct.

In a previous post, we told you about how the Elections Office conducted a review of every polling place and precinct boundary in 2007. As a result of this review, 56 precincts were designated as all mail ballot precincts.

This means that your vote will be cast on a Vote by Mail ballot, which should be mailed to our office b Oct. 28 in order to ensure timely arrival by Election Day.

If your heart is still set on voting in person, don’t despair:

· Drop off your voted Vote by Mail ballot at your local city hall, the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo, or the first floor of 555 County Center in Redwood City during normal business hours anytime between now and Nov. 4;

· Surrender your Vote By Mail ballot and vote on an eSlate at the Elections Office or the first floor of 555 County Center during normal business hours anytime between now and Nov. 4; or

· Drop off your voted Vote by Mail ballot at any polling place in San Mateo County between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day. Find polling places online here.  Your postcard will also list the two closest polling places to your residential address.

Categories: Ballots · Election Day/Night · Elections Office · Polling place · Vote By Mail · Voting · eSlates · early voting
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Attention: Military and Overseas Voters!

September 12, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Just in case you missed our post on September 3, military and overseas voters should pay special attention to deadline requirements for registering and voting during the November 4 Presidential General Election.

Like all other eligible voters, make sure you’re registered (or re-registered) to vote by October 20.  Your Vote by Mail ballot will be sent to the address specified, and needs to be received by the Elections office no later than November 4 at 8 p.m.

If you are already out of the country and haven’t registered to vote yet, you can  submit your registration by fax as long as you also send your original signed form in the mail.  Without that follow up, your application won’t be valid.

If you aren’t planning on leaving the country until after October 6, consider coming to the Elections offices to vote early.  We are open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. for voters wanting to cast their ballot early, beginning October 6 through November 4.  We’ll also be open on Saturday, October 25 and Saturday, November 1.  The Elections offices are located at:

Going on a cruise?  Check with your cruise host to see if they have an address available for you to receive your ballot.

Remember, it takes longer for mail to reach outside of the United States, so get your registration and ballot in early to prevent any issues.

Need more information?  Check out these sites, brought to you by the Overseas Vote Foundation, which bring you the online tools that will make your overseas voting experience easy and fast. Register to vote, look-up election official contacts, check filing deadlines, and access help desk services, on these nonpartisan information sites.  Just click on the picture to link to the site.

Overseas Vote Foundation

Overseas Vote Foundation

Overseas Vote Foundation

Categories: Ballots · Election Day/Night · Elections Office · Overseas Voting · Vote By Mail · Voter registration · Voting · Web Stuff We Like · early voting
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Voting overseas?

September 3, 2008 · 4 Comments

There’s a bell on the door of the Elections Office entrance, and lately its been dinging nonstop with people coming in for help.  The most common question:  “How do I vote if I’m going to be out of the country in November?”

It’s easy, actually.  Just make sure you’re registered (or re-registered) to vote by October 20, and then the process works just like regular Vote by Mail.  Your ballot will be sent to the address specified, and needs to be received by the Elections office by November 4 at 8 p.m.

If you are already out of the country and haven’t registered to vote yet, you can actually submit your registration by fax as long as you also send your original, signed form in the mail.  Without that follow up, your application won’t be valid.

If you aren’t planning on leaving the country until after October 6, consider coming to the Elections offices to vote early.  We are open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. for voters wanting to cast their ballot early.  The Elections offices are located at:

Want more information?  Check out these sites, brought to you by the Overseas Vote Foundation, which bring you the online tools that will make your overseas voting experience easy and fast. Register to vote, look-up election official contacts, check filing deadlines, and access help desk services, on these nonpartisan information sites.  Just click on the picture to link to the site.

Overseas Vote Foundation

Overseas Vote Foundation

Overseas Vote Foundation

Categories: Elections Office · Overseas Voting · Vote By Mail · Voter registration · Voting · early voting
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Why Vote by Mail?

July 3, 2008 · 8 Comments

If you’ve followed along with this blog for any length of time, then you know that we are constantly on our soap box attesting to the benefits of voting by mail.

Well, we’re not the only ones that think voting by mail just makes sense.

According to the House of Representatives’ HR 1667 for the Vote by Mail Act of 2007, Vote by Mail programs can help to “assuage voter concerns” about topics like long waiting times, voter fraud, lack of paper trail, and other voter disenfranchising issues.

Our statistics show that use of Vote by Mail has increased since the November 2007 Consolidated Municipal, School, and Special District Election where approximately 62 percent of the vote came from Vote by Mail voters.

The February 2008 Presidential Primary had a Vote by Mail voter turnout of 45 percent. According to Carol Marks, Director of Communications at the San Mateo County Clerk-Assessor-Recorder-Elections Office, this reduction in Vote by Mail voting can be attributed to the greater participation in the presidential election cycle.

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Categories: Elections Office · Polling place · Results · Vote By Mail · Vote counting · Voter registration · Voting · early voting
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Last Day to Request Vote by Mail Ballot

May 27, 2008 · 1 Comment

We’re in the thick of the Elections year and California’s political climate is only going to get hotter. Not relegated to a season anymore, the sheer quantity of elections being held in 2008 coupled with the rising costs of producing elections material results in staggering dollar amounts. The price tag on April’s Special Congressional Primary Election was a hard number to swallow, but there was an important lesson to be learned: voting by mail can save a ton of money.

Today is the last day to request a Vote by Mail ballot for the June 3 Statewide Direct Primary Election, so make sure to contact the Elections Office right away! There are a couple ways to get your request in for your Vote by Mail ballot.

1) Go online to http://www.shapethefuture.org/apps/vabr/default.asp and submit an electronic application.

2) Take your Sample Ballot, rip off the back cover, fill out the bottom portion, and fax it to (650) 312-5348.

But whatever you do, don’t mail it! The Elections Office must receive your application today, meaning (once again) postmarks don’t count.

Still have questions? Call the Registration & Elections Division at
(650) 312-5222 for answers!

Categories: Elections Office · Polling place · Shape the Future · Vote By Mail · Voter registration · Voting · early voting
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Cast your Ballot Now for the June 3 Statewide Direct Primary

May 8, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Early voting for the June 3 Statewide Direct Primary Election began Monday, allowing voters to cast their ballots early through use of the Universal Voting Centers or Vote by Mail.

During the 29 days period preceding an election, California law allows voters to cast their ballot early thus accomplishing two goals: providing alternate options for voters may be unable to vote on Election Day, and allowing Vote by Mail voters to submit their ballot prior to the deadline.

“Any voter, from any precinct, can come in and vote early,” said San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Warren Slocum. “I encourage everyone to make their vote a priority. Don’t wait until Election Night when you might have to work late, fight traffic and search for parking. Just make the time to come by and vote.”

Monday also marked the first day that the Elections Office can begin mailing the official Vote by Mail ballots to voters. Slocum encouraged voters, “Keep a lookout for the arrival of your official ballot in the mail; it’s coming!”

If you are not signed up to Vote by Mail, it is not too late to join the 138,636 people in San Mateo County who already got a head start on Election Day by voting through the mail.

“Voting by mail simplifies your life, as voters can decide when and where they want to vote,”Slocum said. “Vote at work, at the kitchen table, or after you’ve put the kids to bed!”

Voters who wish to vote an early electronic or paper ballot can stop by either of our two Universal Voting Centers locations:

40 Tower Road
San Mateo, Ca

555 County Center, 1st Floor
Redwood City, Ca

To turn in your Vote by Mail ballot, simply drop it in the mail, stop by your local city hall (within San Mateo County), or bring it in to one of the Universal Voting Centers. If you forget to turn it in and Election Day arrives, you can drop the voted ballot off at any active polling place within the county – just make sure we get it before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

If you’re not registered as a Vote by Mail voter yet, hurry up! Get an application online at www.shapethefuture.org or call the Elections Office at 650-312-5222. The back cover of your Sample Ballot & Voter Information Pamphlet also has a form that you can return to request a Vote by Mail ballot.

Voters may also fax or mail a written request to Vote by Mail to the Elections Office stating: (1) voter’s full name; (2) voter’s San Mateo County residence address; (3) voter’s mailing address, if different from the residence address; (4) name and date of the election for which you want the Vote by Mail ballot; and (5) the voter’s signature. Requests can be mailed to 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402 or faxed to 650-312-5348. Requests must be received by the Elections Office no later than 5 p.m. on Tues., May 27. A postmark is not acceptable.

By the way, if you send in anything by mail, don’t forget that postage rates change to 42 cents beginning May 12.

“Voting has never been easier or more convenient,” Slocum said. “Take advantage of these opportunities and make every effort to vote early.”

Categories: Ballots · Election Day/Night · Elections Office · Polling place · Shape the Future · Vote By Mail · Voter registration · Voting · eSlates · early voting
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Did you vote?

May 6, 2008 · Leave a Comment

It’s Election Day: Do you know where your ballot is?

Hopefully, the ballot is not still in your hands. Today at 8 p.m. is the deadline for any voters wanting to participate in the Portola Valley Elementary School District All-Mail Election. If the Elections Office doesn’t have your ballot by 8 p.m., it won’t count.

If you haven’t mailed in your ballot yet – stop! Don’t go to the post office; postmarks don’t count.

In an all-mail election, polling places are not open on Election Day. If voters still want to participate, ballots will have to be dropped off at one of the San Mateo County Universal Voting Centers located at:

40 Tower Road, San Mateo
555 County Center, Redwood City

If you’ve already submitted your Vote by Mail ballot, you can track and confirm your ballot receipt status by going onto www.shapethefuture.org. There, you can see when we mailed your ballot to you, and when we received it back.

While you’re on the website, make a bookmark so that you can go back to site easily later on tonight. At 8:05 p.m., we’ll be posting the first batch of semi-official results for the election on our results portal.

Categories: Election Day/Night · Elections Office · Polling place · Vote By Mail · Voting
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Goodbye April, Hello May

April 14, 2008 · Leave a Comment

PVESD STF BannerThe dust is barely settling from the April 4 Special Congressional Open Primary Election and yet the deadline to register to vote for the May 6 Portola Valley Elementary School District All-Mail Election already looms near.

The Portola Valley Elementary School District Election is being conducted to fill the vacant seat on the governing board. The certified list of candidates appearing on the May 6 ballot can be found on the San Mateo County Elections website in the box dedicated to the May 6 Portola Valley Elementary School District Election.

When we said this was going to be a busy election year, we weren’t kidding! Early voting began on April 7, one day before the April 8 Special Congressional Open Primary Election. But at least this election is an all-mail election, which will protect the Portola Valley Elementary School District from the ginormous bill like the one associated with the April 8 election with which San Mateo County got stuck.

How ginormous, you ask?

Only 17,595 voters in San Mateo County’s portion of the 12th Congressional District bothered to vote at the polls at a cost of $26.70 per voter. With a total turnout of 25.9 percent, at least we can take a little comfort in the fact that the other 73 percent of voters who turned in a ballot chose to vote by mail. That decision saved about $15.10 per voter.

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Categories: Ballots · Election Day/Night · Elections Office · Poll workers · Polling place · Results · Vote By Mail · Vote counting · Voting
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Smooth Voting Takes Preparation

April 7, 2008 · 1 Comment

Understanding your voting options can be hard enough during a regular election, but a Special Congressional Open Primary can be even more confusing. We want to make sure you’re prepared when you head to the polls tomorrow. Remember … smooth voting takes preparation.

Verify your registration status for voting in this election by visiting the San Mateo County Elections website. The deadline to register to vote in the April 8 Special Congressional Open Primary was March 24.

While you’re online, confirm your polling place! Over 60 locations were changed prior to the Nov. 2007 election in order to comply with accessibility, electrical and space requirements. If you can’t make it to our website, check the back cover of your Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet. You can also find polling place info at the League of Women Voters website.

Brush up on how to vote. Instructions on how to use the eSlate voting machine can be found online, in the Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet, and at the polling place.

“This is a perfect opportunity for voters who have never voted on the eSlate voting system to do so!” said Slocum. “With only one contest on the ballot in the Special Congressional Open Primary Election, it takes very little time to vote. Voters who haven’t tried the eSlates as yet, will discover just how easy it is to use but shouldn’t hesitate asking for help if they need it,” Slocum said. “Our poll workers are more than happy to help!”

When you head to the polls, bring ID if you are a first-time voter. Over 30 forms of id will be accepted, including a driver’s license, state identification card, passport, student ID, government-issued check, or utility bill showing your name and address.

If you are a Vote by Mail voter, and you haven’t mailed in your ballot, plan to drop off your Vote by Mail ballot at the Elections Office or any polling place in San Mateo County within the 12th Congressional District. We can’t count your vote if it isn’t in on time, so drop it off in person at any of the following locations by 8 p.m. on Election Day:

Postmarks don’t count!

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Categories: Ballots · Campaigns/Political parties · Election Day/Night · Poll workers · Polling place · Shape the Future · Vote By Mail · Voter registration · Voting
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