Early Voting for Presidential Primary Begins Today

Starting today, San Mateo residents will be able to vote for the June 5 Presidential Primary Election.

According to Mark Church, San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer, the early voting period begins in the 29 days immediately prior to Election Day.

During this period, any eligible voter may cast a ballot at one of two voting center sites that will be set up:

• Elections Office, 40 Tower Road, San Mateo
• 555 County Center, First Floor, Redwood City

In a press release issued by the county, Church states, “As a convenience to voters, we provide several options for early voting: voters may join our Vote by Mail program; or they may go to one of our two Voting Centers, where they can vote on a voting machine or vote by paper ballot or drop off a voted mail ballot.”

Hours of operation for the two Voting Centers are as follows:

• Today through June 4 (both sites): weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• May 26 and June 2 (both sites): 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Election Day, June 5 (both sites): 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Elections Office says that to vote by mail, a registered voter must file an application, either for this election only, or become a Permanent Vote by Mail voter for this and future elections.

An application form is provided in the Voter Information Pamphlet, or is available at the official website.

The Elections Office says it will begin to mail out Vote by Mail ballots today.

Every Vote by Mail voter may use the “Track and Confirm” tool on the official website, to verify when the ballot materials were mailed to the voter and when the returned voted ballot was received.

According to the Elections Office, voted mail ballots must be physically received by an elections official by 8:00 p.m. on election night, June 5. Voters may mail in the voted ballot any time during the voting period, or they may deliver it in person to a Voting Center or to any city hall in the county.

On Election Day, they may deliver the voted mail ballot in person to any active polling place in the county until 8:00 p.m. or to any city hall during its normal business hours.

“We have developed these options and resources to give our voters convenience and peace of mind with the voting process that best fits their needs,” says Church in the release.

To be able to vote in the June 5 election, the eligible voter must file a voter registration form on or before May 21 (timely postmarks are accepted).

Individuals, who become United States citizens after May 21, can register and vote until the close of polls on June 5 at one of the Voting Centers. Registration forms may be obtained and filed at a Voting Center, and forms may also be obtained at all city clerk offices, US Postal Service offices, city and county libraries, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Eligibility requirements and registration status information is available on the official website.

The official website at www.shapethefuture.org also provides polling place locations, voting machine instructions (text and video), answers to frequently asked questions, and election news.

For additional assistance, you can call the Elections Office at 650.312.5222. 

All information and assistance is available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

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