<p>Voters in jurisdictions with Nov. 2 election urged to return vote-by-mail ballots</p><p> </p>

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters reminds voters eligible to participate in the Nov. 2, 2021, Consolidated Election, that the deadline to return vote-by-mail ballots is only days away. The Registrar of Voters Office encourages voters to turn in their ballots as soon as possible so their votes are included in the first batch of election results released shortly after 8 p.m. on election night.

This election only applies to voters who reside in at least one 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

Due to a new state law (SB 152) and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, every active voter who is registered in one or more of the above jurisdictions was mailed a ballot in this election, regardless of whether they were previously signed up to vote that way. Voters who wish to vote in person may do so by going to their assigned polling place on Nov. 2 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. (see below for details).

Voters who have outstanding vote-by-mail ballots may return them 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 Nov. 2 and received at the Registrar of Voters Office by Nov. 9 to be counted.

2. Deposit them at one of eight ballot drop boxes that are open 24/7 until 8 p.m. on Nov. 2, when teams of elections staff will lock and close them. Note that some of the ballot drop boxes that have been open in countywide and statewide elections are not open for this smaller election. For a list and map of which eight ballot drop boxes are open, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote.

3. Take them to any polling place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 2. For a list and map of all polling places in Sonoma County, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote.

Voters who want to track their ballots are encouraged to sign up for “Where’s My Ballot?” at california.ballottrax.net/voter/. “Where’s My Ballot?” is a service which sends text, email, or voice message notifications whenever there is a status update regarding a person’s ballot, such as when it is mailed out, when it is received by the Registrar of Voters Office, and when the signature on the ballot envelope is verified.

Voters who wish to vote in person may go to their assigned polling place on Nov. 2 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and, if possible, bring along the vote-by-mail ballot they already received so they can formally surrender it. Voters should be aware that if they do not return their vote-by-mail ballot, they may still receive a provisional ballot.

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. Voters can also view a list and map of all polling places in this election at sonomacounty.ca.gov/where-to-vote.

Note that if a voter does not go to their assigned polling place, they will have to vote a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are not counted until after election night once the individual’s eligibility to vote can be confirmed. Also note that there are a small number of voters in “mailed ballot” precincts who do not have any polling place at all. These voters must cast their vote via a provisional ballot no matter which polling place they go to. Alternatively, they can come to the Registrar of Voters Office and vote via their vote-by-mail ballot in a traditional voting booth before handing it to an election worker and watching them deposit it in a ballot box.

Anybody who has questions or concerns about the Nov. 2 election, may contact the Registrar of Voters Office by calling (707) 565-6800, emailing rov-info@sonoma-county.org, or visiting the office in person at 435 Fiscal Dr in Santa Rosa. The office is normally open regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays) but will have extended hours (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) on Election Day. 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.

Contact Information:

Wendy Hudson

Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters

Wendy.Hudson@sonoma-county.org

707-565-6800