Vote By Mail FAQs
Vote by mail allows voters to cast a ballot without going to a polling place. If a registered voter has applied to vote by mail, the Registrar's office mails a ballot to the registered address of the voter beginning 29 days before an election. The voter votes the ballot and returns it to the election office by mail. The voter can also return it in person to the office or to any polling place on Election Day to be counted. Any voter can apply to vote by mail permanently in every election.
Voting by mail is easy and convenient. The ballot arrives in the mail. You can vote in the privacy of your home and take your time to mark your ballot and mail it back. If you can't easily get to your polling place on Election Day, you never have to miss voting in an election because, with a mail ballot, voting comes to you.
You may apply to Vote by Mail before each election, or you may apply for permanent Vote by Mail status by filling out the application
By law, the first day ballots can be mailed to voters is 29 days before an election. Ballots are mailed continuously during the 29 day period.
Use a black or blue pen to mark your ballot.
- Completely fill in the oval.
- Vote for no more than the authorized number of candidates.
- Be sure to complete both sides of the ballot.
- If you make a mistake, do not try to correct it, call our office for a replacement ballot.
- Place your ballot in the return envelope provided. Sign and write your address on the return envelope
- Your ballot will not be counted if there is no signature on the return envelope.
8:00 PM. on Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the Registrar of Voters office no later than 7 days after Election Day.
You can use the My Voter Profile page to track your Vote By Mail ballot. When received, you will see this message displayed 'YOUR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT WAS RECEIVED'.
Yes, you have to be designated by your spouse by having them fill out the appropriate information on the back of the VBM return envelope.
No, you are not required to vote for every race on your ballot. Vote for no more than the authorized number of candidates.
You may call (510) 272-6973 to request that your ballot be sent to the address where you will be.
You will receive a Sample Ballot and Voter Information Guide for all local candidates and measures. In a statewide election, you will also receive a State Pamphlet with information about State propositions and candidates. You may also visit the Election Information page where these materials are available for download.
Yes. Just return your unvoted ballot to the election officials at the polling place and vote a regular ballot.
The first day of mailing is 29 days before an election. If you've waited two weeks or longer, call the Registrar of Voters' Office at (510) 272-6973 for a replacement ballot.
If a voter is registered as Vote by Mail voter and does not have their Vote by Mail ballot to surrender, or if the voter's name does not show up on the Polling Place Roster, the voter must vote provisionally. Click here for more information on provisional voting.
If you receive two ballots, the first one received will be the one that is counted. If the second ballot is received, it is blocked from being recorded as a valid returned ballot and cannot be counted.
When your ballot is returned, we check your name, address, and signature against the voter records. If everything matches, your ballot is counted.
We count every mail ballot so long as we can match the voter's signature with the signature on the voter's registration card.
If we get your ballot at least two weeks before the election and you have forgotten to sign it, we mail it back to you and ask you to sign and return it.