Santa Cruz County Clerk Tricia Webber has issued a warning to voters to not wait until Election Day to mail your ballots, as they might not be counted. Webber has issued the warning both in public testimony and in county election records.
The county’s Supplemental Document to the 2022 Election Administration Plan explains that while the Elections Code allows for ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day to be considered timely, Santa Cruz County does not postmark mail at the main post office.
“Instead, all Santa Cruz County mail is trucked over to San Jose where it is postmarked. This can delay a postmark of one day or more for any mail depending on when that mailbox is picked up by USPS. Many voters are unaware of the USPS process/procedure in Santa Cruz County, and it caused many ballots to be challenged ballots because they were postmarked after Election Day even though the envelopes were deposited into mailboxes on June 7,” Webber wrote.
During the Oct. 8 Board of Supervisors meeting, Webber brought up the issue again and advised that if you must mail your ballot close to, or on, Nov. 4, go into the Post Office and request a same-day postmark on your ballot. An even better way would be to place the ballot in a drop box or take in to a vote station.
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Voting Locations in South County
Open for Voting Now
WATSONVILLE
Watsonville City Clerk’s Office
275 Main St., 4th Floor
Westridge County Building
500 Westridge Dr.
Open for Voting Starting Oct. 25
APTOS
Cabrillo College Cafeteria
6500 Soquel Dr., Building 900
Open for Voting Starting Nov. 1
APTOS
St. John’s Episcopal Church
125 Canterbury Dr.
(Sunday, Nov. 2: 1 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
WATSONVILLE
La Selva Beach Clubhouse
314 Estrella Ave.
Pajaro Valley Community Trust
85 Nielson St.
Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds
2601 East Lake Ave.
Open Only on Election Day — Nov. 4
Corralitos Community Church
26 Browns Valley Rd.
OFFICIAL BALLOT DROP BOX LOCATIONS
APTOS
Aptos Branch Library
7695 Soquel Dr.
Polo Grounds
(dog park area)
2255 Huntington Dr.
Cabrillo College Parking Lot R
(by stadium)
2372 Cabrillo College Dr.
WATSONVILLE
Municipal Public Parking Lot 14
316 Rodriguez St.
County Health Center
1430 Freedom Blvd.
County Building at Westridge
500 Westridge Dr.