Any registered voter in California can decide whether to vote at a polling place or vote by mail.
Hours to vote on Election Day Tuesday, March 5, are 7 am to 8 pm.
Santa Cruz County is implementing the Voters Choice Act, passed by the state Legislature in 2016. That’s why you received a Vote-by-Mail ballot in the mail. This ballot can be returned by mail, in-person at a voting location or at an official ballot drop box.
Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day, so March 12. If you are not sure your vote-by-mail ballot will arrive in time, bring it to any polling place in the state between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Election Day.
You can still vote in person the traditional way.
Polls have been renamed “Vote Centers.”
Hours will be:
- Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (beginning Feb. 24)
- Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (beginning Feb. 25)
Open since Feb. 5 for voting:
Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections, 701 Ocean St., Room 310.
Watsonville — Watsonville City Clerk’s Office, 275 Main St., 4th Floor.
Opens Feb. 24 for voting:
Aptos — Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Rd.
Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, 5200 Soquel Ave.
Scotts Valley — Scotts Valley Public Library, 251 Kings Village Rd.
Opens March 2 for voting:
Aptos — St. John’s Episcopal Church, 125 Canterbury Dr. (Sunday, March 3, hours are 1 to 9 pm)
Boulder Creek — Boulder Creek Fire Station, 13230 Highway 9
Capitola — New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave.
Felton — Zayante Fire Department, 7700 E Zayante Rd.
Santa Cruz — Bonny Doon Elementary School, 1492 Pine Flat Rd.
Santa Cruz — Depot Park, 119 Center St.
Santa Cruz — Masonic Center, 828 N. Branciforte Ave.
Santa Cruz — UCSC Stevenson Event Center, 520 Cowell-Stevenson Rd.
Scotts Valley — Scotts Valley High School, 555 Glenwood Dr.
Soquel — Soquel High School, 401 Soquel San Jose Rd.
Watsonville — La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave.
Watsonville — Pajaro Valley Community Trust, 85 Nielson St.
Watsonville — Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave.
Open Election Day March 5 only for voting:
Corralitos — Corralitos Community Church, 24 Browns Valley Rd.
Davenport — Pacific Elementary, 50 Ocean St.
Los Gatos — C.T. English Middle School, 23845 Summit Rd.
Santa Cruz — Christian Life Center, 1009 Mission St.
Or you can drop off your vote-by-mail ballot at any of the 17 drop boxes at locations such as city halls.
The county Elections Department says Vote Centers offer a “full-service” voting experience:
- Vote using an accessible ballot marking device.
- Receive voting assistance.
- Register to vote or update your registration and vote on the same day.
- Request a replacement ballot.
Santa Cruz County Elections Department