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Voting in 2020: What You Need to Know For The Nov. Election

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Important Changes Include Your Ballot Arriving By Mail in October

Election Day is just two months away, and elections officials in Santa Cruz County are busy preparing to conduct an election under extraordinary circumstances.

Gov. Newsom signed two executive orders and new laws have passed to give California elections officials the tools to ensure the security, accuracy, accessibility, transparency, and safety of the fall election — and meet public health guidelines.

“COVID-19 and the CZU fires have changed how we will conduct this Nov. 3 election,” said County Clerk Gail L. Pellerin. “We have launched a Vote Safe Santa Cruz campaign to make sure voters have plenty of options to cast their ballot without risking their health.”

One major change is county elections officials will mail a ballot to all active registered voters in the State of California. Ballots will be mailed by Oct. 5, and then daily for new registrants or people who have updated their registration. Mailing a ballot to all voters allows them to vote safely from home and avoid having to go to a public place.

For voters impacted by the CZU fires and evacuated during this election, they do not need to re-register to vote. They simply fill out a change of address form on the County Elections Department’s website at www.votescount.us. The mailing address can be a place or work, the home of a family member or friend, or a post office box.

Voters should sign up to track their ballot at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov. They will get email or text alerts when their ballot is mailed, when it s received by the county elections office, and if there is a problem with counting the ballot.

Voters can also sign up for “informed delivery” through the U.S. Postal Service. This free service sends an email each day mail is delivered with an image of the mail piece.

Even though ballots will be mailed to all voters, counties must also provide in-person voting.

Santa Cruz County will not use its traditional polling places. Instead, there will be at least 17 locations where any voter can go to return their ballot, obtain a replacement ballot, vote an accessible ballot using a tablet, vote a Spanish ballot using a tablet, register and vote on the same day, and any other voter service.

Voters who opt to use the ballot mailed to them do not have to return the ballot through the mail. There has been concern about the United States Postal Service’s ability to manage the amount of election mail California will have. Postal reps have reassured elections officials that ballots will not be delayed. Nevertheless, there are other options to return a voted ballot.

Drop Boxes

The county Elections Department will have ballot drop boxes at the following locations, available 24/7 until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3:

Business Hours

Voters may also return their election ballot inside these locations during regular business hours:

Voting Locations

The Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Office, 701 Ocean St., Room 310, and the Watsonville City Clerk’s Office/Community Room, 275 Main St., 4th floor, will open beginning Oct. 5 for voters who want to obtain a ballot in person or vote a ballot using the tablet.


There will be 17 locations open starting Saturday, Oct. 31 through Tuesday, Nov. 3 for voters to:

Hours will be:

Saturday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov.1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 2: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 3: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Due to the fires in Santa Cruz County, some election sites may have to be relocated. Check www.votescount.us for the latest information.

VoteMobile Coming

The Santa Cruz County Elections office is getting a VoteMobile that can travel anywhere in the county to conduct pop-up voting and ballot return. Locations, dates and times will be posted at www.votescount.us by Oct. 12.

Using the Mail

Ballot return envelopes are mailed with each ballot and the envelope is postage-paid. Ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 20 will be considered received on time.

Follow these steps to vote your ballot and prepare it for return.

  1. Use a blue or black ballpoint pen to fill in the oval to the left of your choice. You do not have to vote on every contest.
  2. Remove the top stub from your ballot by tearing at the perforated line.
  3. Place the voted ballot in the return envelope mailed with your ballot. Make sure it is your name printed on the ballot envelope. Households often mix up ballot envelopes.
  4. Write the address where you live in Santa Cruz County on the envelope in the space provided.
  5. Sign your name on the envelope. If you do not sign your envelope, your ballot will not be counted. If you cannot sign your name, make a mark and have a witness sign on the line provided. Do not let someone else sign your name for you. Elections staff will compare the signature on the envelope to the signatures on file for you to ensure it is your ballot. If your signature does not compare, you will be contacted so you can correct your signature.
  6. Write the date you signed the envelope.
  7. Provide a phone number or email so you can be contacted in case of a problem.

Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail

Voters who do not get mail delivery or cannot vote using a paper ballot, can sign up for a Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail ballot (RAVBM). This form of voting had been limited to military and overseas voters and voters with disabilities, but due to COVID-19, any voter may request a RAVBM for this election. This may be a good way for fire evacuees to vote.

Voters may request a RAVBM ballot online at www.votescount.us or by calling 831-454-2060. Ballots will be emailed after Oct. 5.

To vote using a RAVBM, a voter needs to have access to a computer, printer and envelope to return their ballot. After the voter signs up, the County Elections Department will email them an access code to open their ballot and vote it.

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For information, contact the Santa Cruz County Clerk at 831-454-2060, info@votescount.us or visit www.votescount.us.

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