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What is vote by mail?
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.
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What are the benefits of voting by mail?
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.
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What do I have to do to vote by mail permanently?
First, make sure that you are registered at the address where you currently live. Your ballot will be mailed to the address we have on the voter file before every election in which you are eligible to vote. Vote by mail ballots cannot be forwarded. If you no longer live at your registered address, your ballot will be returned as undeliverable. If you have questions about voting by mail or about your voter registration, please call our office at (510) 272-6973.
Second, you must apply for a mail ballot. You may apply to vote by mail before each election, or you may apply for permanent mail voter status by filling out the Permanent Vote By Mail application and mailing it to the Registrar of Voters. Download the form from the Vote By Mail page or call (510) 272-6973 for an application.
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When are ballots mailed to voters?
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.
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I will be out of town when the ballots are mailed. How do I get a ballot?
Your may request that your ballot be sent to the address where you will be, vote it and mail it back from there.
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What if my ballot doesn't come?
Call our office to find out when it was mailed. If you have not received your ballot within a week after it was mailed, we will check your registration, track your ballot and send you a replacement ballot if necessary.
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What if I have moved and have not updated my registration?
If you were registered to vote by 15 days before the election but now have a new address within the County, contact our office at (510) 272-6973 for instructions.
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How will I get information about candidates and measures?
You will receive a Sample Ballot and Voter Information Pamphlet for all local candidates and measures. In a statewide election, your household will also receive a State Pamphlet with information about State propositions and candidates. You may also visit our website for links to information about candidates and measures. acgov.org/rov
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After I receive my ballot in the mail, can I still vote at the polls?
Yes. Just return your unvoted ballot to the election officials at the polling place and vote a regular ballot.
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What if I lose my ballot?
Call the Registrar of Voters' Office for a replacement ballot. If it is too late for us to send you a replacement ballot, you may go to your polling place and vote a provisional ballot.
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How does the Registrar's Office make sure voters don't vote more than once?
When a voter applies for a mail ballot, it is recorded in the voter file. When the Roster for the polls is printed, all mail voters are indicated by the words, "absentee voter" next to their names. The office gives an updated list of voters voting by mail to all pollworkers on the weekend before the election. If a voter with the words, "absentee voter" next to his/her name goes to the polls, the poll worker will ask for the vote by mail ballot. If the voter doesn't have it, he/she must vote provisionally.
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Yes, but what if I get two ballots?
If you receive two ballots, the first one back will be the one that is counted. If the second ballot comes, it is blocked from being recorded as a valid returned ballot and cannot be counted.
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How can you be sure the ballot I have returned belongs to me?
When your ballot is returned, we check your name, address and signature against the voter records. If everything matches, your ballot is counted.
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Do you count all of the ballots that come by mail, or do you just count them when there is a close race?
We count every mail ballot so long as we can match the voter's signature with the signature on the voter's registration card.
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What if I forget to sign my ballot?
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.
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When does my ballot have to be returned?
Your completed ballot must be in possession of the Registrar of Voters no later than 8:00 p.m. on election night. Be sure to mail your ballot early enough to be received by then. If you are concerned that your ballot may not be received in time, you can drop the ballot off at any polling location or at the Registrar of Voters Office.
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Where can I get more information about voting by mail?
Call the Registrar of Voters Office at (510) 272-6973.
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