Voters Urged to Return Mail-in Ballots Early to Ensure They are Among The First Counted

The deadline to return Vote by Mail ballots for the upcoming March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election, is rapidly approaching.

Deva Marie Proto, County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters, stated, “Mail-in ballots are among the first tallied on Election Day and many of our voters like knowing their votes are included in the first results released on Election Night.  Staff are working diligently to receive and prepare ballots for counting.”

Vote by Mail voters may either return ballots by mail or at one of three drive-thru drop box locations:

• Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building
  1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa (through 4 p.m. Pacific Time on Election Day)
• Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building
  1094 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma (through 4 p.m. Pacific Time on Election Day)
• Registrar of Voters Office
  435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa (through 8 p.m. Pacific Time on Election Day)

Vote by Mail ballots can also be dropped off at any polling place on Election Day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Pacific Time.  Both the Santa Rosa and Petaluma Veterans Memorial Buildings are polling places on Election Day, so voters who go to the drop boxes at these locations after 4 p.m. can drop off their ballots inside the polling places through 8:00 p.m.

Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received in the Registrar of Voters Office no later than March 6.  Voters are also reminded that they must sign and date the blue envelope containing their voted ballot before dropping it in the box or mailing.

For more information, visit the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office, 435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa, or call (707) 565-6800 (1-800-750-VOTE toll free), between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific Time Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.  Persons requiring assistance through use of a TDD may call (707) 565-6888.