<p>County begins mailing vote-by-mail ballots for Nov. 2 election</p><p> </p>

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters this week began mailing vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 2, 2021, Consolidated Election to all active, registered voters in Sonoma County who reside in any of the following jurisdictions:

• City of Sonoma
• Occidental Community Services District
• Kenwood Fire Protection District
• Sonoma Valley Health Care District
• Timber Cove County Water District

Voters who do not reside in any of these jurisdictions do not have an election this November.

As of Oct. 4, any voter who needs their vote-by-mail ballot right away may come to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office at 435 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa to pick one up. A voter may also authorize somebody else to pick up their ballot for them with a signed note.

Voters can return their vote-by-mail ballots in one of three ways:

(1) Send them back in the mail, no postage required. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day (Nov. 2) and received at the Registrar of Voters Office by Nov. 9 in order to be counted.

(2) Deposit them at one of the eight ballot drop boxes being utilized this election. For a list and map of these ballot drop boxes, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote. Drop boxes will be open 24/7 starting on Oct. 5 and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2.

(3) Take them to one of nine polling places on Election Day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. For a list and map of these polling places, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote.

Voters are encouraged to return their vote-by-mail ballots early so their votes are included in the first batch of election results released shortly after 8 p.m. on election night. Voters are also urged to sign up for “Where’s My Ballot?” at california.ballottrax.net/voter/, a service which sends notifications whenever there is a status update to a person’s ballot, such as when it is mailed out, received or signature verified.

If a voter never receives a ballot in the mail or needs a replacement, the last day to request a ballot be mailed to them is Oct. 26. After this date, requests for vote-by-mail ballots must be made in person by the voter at the Registrar of Voters Office or by somebody with a signed note from the voter authorizing that individual to pick up a ballot for the voter. 

In-person voting will be available on Election Day between the hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the nine polling places mentioned earlier. Each voter will be assigned to a single polling place. A voter who wishes to cast their vote via regular ballot in person should go to the polling place specifically assigned to them. If they do not, they will have to vote by provisional ballot, which will not be counted until after election night, once the individual’s eligibility to vote can be verified.

Voters can look up their polling place online by going to sonomacounty.ca.gov/vote/ and clicking on the County Voter Information Guide or Find Your Polling Place links located under the Nov. 2 Election heading. Voters can also view a map and list of the eight ballot drop boxes and nine polling places at sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote.

Note that there are a small number of voters who are not assigned to any polling place this election because they are in “mailed ballot” precincts which have fewer than 250 registered voters. These voters may come to the Registrar of Voters Office to vote, vote provisionally at a polling place on Election Day or cast their vote using the ballot mailed to them.

Any questions about the Nov. 2 Consolidated Election should be directed to the Registrar of Voters Office by calling (707) 565-6800, emailing rov-info@sonoma-county.org or visiting in person at 435 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa.  The Registrar of Voters Office is normally open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays but will have extended hours (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) on Nov. 2. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, anyone visiting the office should be prepared to follow county facility health guidelines such as wearing a mask.