Voting begins in California today

in Community

The voting period for the Nov. 3, 2020 Presidential General Election began Monday in California. Vote by Mail ballots have begun to arrive in the mail to all registered voters in San Mateo County.

Completed ballots can be returned by mail (no postage or stamps needed) to the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division. To be counted, all ballots must be received by the Election Division on or before 8 p.m. on Election Day, or be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the Election Division within 17 days after Election Day.

Don’t want to mail it? You can place your ballot in any of the 39 Ballot Drop Box locations throughout San Mateo County (click here for all locations). Also, three Vote Center locations opened today where voters can register to vote, vote early in person, return a voted ballot or request a replacement ballot. The Vote Centers are located at San Mateo Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road in San Mateo; Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, 555 County Center, 1st Floor, Redwood City; and South San Francisco Main Library, 840 West Orange Ave.

Until Oct. 30, the vote centers will operate weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except for Columbus Day on Monday, Oct. 12). From Oct. 31 through Nov. 2, they will be open daily during those hours and on Nov. 3 they will operate with extended hours, officials said.

Want to know if you are registered to vote? Confirm your current registration status online at www.smcvote.org by clicking on the “My Election Info” button. To check on the status of your ballot, sign up for alerts at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov or check My Election Info at www.smcvote.org to confirm when the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division received and accepted your voted ballot.

Photo credit: San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division