Voting Matters Zoom Talk

Sept. 3 on Mail Delivery & Fire Victims

Tammy Patrick, senior advisor with the Democracy Fund, will join Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin at the second “Voting Matters” Zoom call at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, to discuss concerns about the United States Postal Service and mail delivery for people who have lost their homes or have been evacuated due to the CZU lightning fires.

To join “Voting Matters” on Zoom, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82377248326?pwd=cDhRNHdUTDlFOWdSV3BiYnVYRjNrZz09

To participate via phone, call 1-669-900-9128. The meeting ID is 823 7724 8326 and the passcode is 085550.

“We’ve been getting lots of calls from voters concerned about timely delivery of their ballots, especially from those who have lost their homes in the fires,” County Clerk Gail Pellerin said. “I want to set voters’ minds at ease, so I called on my friend Tammy Patrick to give us an update. Tammy is a nationally-recognized expert on elections and postal issues, so we are so lucky to have her join us for the first portion of the evening.”

Pellerin created the “Voting Matters” Zoom calls because her office has not been able to do their typical in-person voter outreach events due to COVID-19. Also, because of the pandemic, Gov. Newsom has issued an executive order requiring elections officials in California to mail ballots to all active registered voters by Oct. 5.

There will be 15 ballot drop boxes installed throughout the county for voters to easily return their voted ballots. Voters can also mail their ballots as long as they are postmarked on or before Election Day. In addition, voters may drop their ballot off in person at one of 17 voting locations that will be open Oct. 31 to Nov. 3.

In November, instead of the county’s traditional polling places, there will be voting locations where voters can obtain a ballot, turn in a ballot, register and vote on the same day, or vote an accessible or Spanish ballot on the tablet. Any voter may go to any location.

Consolidating voting locations improves the county’s ability to protect health and safety, including implementing physical distancing and wearing masks, disinfecting surfaces and voting equipment, providing hand sanitizer and more, including screening poll workers for symptoms. Voters will be asked to follow these guidelines to protect themselves and to protect others.

The “Voting Matters” Zoom event is open to the public and nonpartisan. “Voting Matters” Zoom events will take place every other Thursday until Election Day. The next “Voting Matters” call will be at 6 p.m. Sept. 17, and will be presented primarily in Spanish.