News Release
Website: www.votescount.us & www.sccoclerk.us
September 3, 2020
Contact: Gail L. Pellerin, County Clerk
831-454-2419
Conducting an election under extraordinary circumstances
Election Day is just two months away, and elections officials in Santa Cruz County are busy preparing to conduct an election under extraordinary circumstances.
The Governor signed two executive orders and new laws have passed to give California elections officials the necessary tools to ensure the security, accuracy, accessibility, transparency, and safety of the fall election that meets public health guidelines.
“COVID-19 and the CZU fires have changed how we will conduct this November 3 election,” County Clerk Gail L. Pellerin said. “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 and safety.”
One major change for the November election is county elections officials will mail a ballot to all active registered voters in the State of California. Ballots will be mailed by October 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 who have been impacted by the CZU fires and will be evacuated during this election, Pellerin said they do not need to re-register to vote. Voters can 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. Voters will get email or text alerts when their ballot is mailed, when it is received by the county elections office, and if there is any problem with counting the ballot.
Voters can also sign up for informed delivery through the USPS. 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. In Santa Cruz County, we will not have our traditional polling places. Instead, we will have at least 17 voting locations where any voter can go to any location to return their ballot, obtain a replacement ballot, vote an accessible ballot on the tablet, vote a Spanish ballot on the tablet, register and vote on the same day, and any other voter service.
Voters who opt to vote 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 this fall. Postal reps have reassured elections officials that they can manage the mail and ballots will not be delayed. Nevertheless, there are other options to return a voted ballot.
Drop Boxes
A quick and easy way to return a voted ballot, is to use one of the ballot drop boxes managed by the Santa Cruz County Elections Department.
The ballot drop boxes will be located at the following locations and available 24/7 until 8pm on Tuesday, November 3:
- Aptos – Public Library, 7695 Soquel Dr.
- Aptos – Polo Grounds, 2255 Huntington Dr.
- Aptos – Cabrillo College by football stadium, 3732 Cabrillo College Dr.
- Ben Lomond – Highlands Park, 8500 Highway 9
- Boulder Creek – Library, 13390 W. Park Ave.: walk up (may have to be relocated due to the fires)
- Capitola – City Hall, 420 Capitola Ave.
- Capitola – Shopping Mall (near Sears), 1855 41st Ave.
- Felton – Covered Bridge Park, Mt. Hermon/Graham Hill Rd.
- Santa Cruz – County Gov. Center, 701 Ocean St.
- Santa Cruz – Public Library, 212 Church St.
- Santa Cruz – UCSC Quarry Plaza: walk up
- Scotts Valley – City Hall, 1 Civic Center Dr.
- Watsonville – Parking Lot 14, 316 Rodriguez St.
- Watsonville – County Health Center, 1430 Freedom Blvd.
- Watsonville – Corralitos Community Center, 35 Browns Valley Rd.
County Elections, Simpkins Swim Center, and City Clerks will have ballot return boxes
Voters may also return their ballot inside at one of the locations below that are open during regular busines hours:
- County Elections: 701 Ocean St., Room 310, Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz City Clerk: 809 Center St., Santa Cruz
- Simpkins Swim Center: 979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz
- Capitola City Clerk: 420 Capitola Ave., Capitola
- Scotts Valley City Clerk: 1 Civic Center Dr., Scotts Valley
- Watsonville City Clerk: 275 Main St., Watsonville
Voting locations
The Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Office at 701 Ocean St., Room 310 and the Watsonville City Clerk’s Office/Community Room located at 275 Main St., 4th floor will be open beginning October 5 for voters who want to obtain a ballot in person or vote a ballot using the tablet.
There will be 17 locations open Saturday October 31 to Tuesday, November 3 for voters to:
- Obtain a replacement ballot
- Drop off their voted ballot
- Register and vote on the same day
- Vote an accessible ballot on the tablet
- Vote a Spanish ballot on the table
- And any other voter service
Due to the fires in Santa Cruz County, some of these sites may have to be relocated due to fire damage or being used for a shelter or other emergency purpose. Check www.votescount.us for the latest information.
Each location will be open for voting on the following dates and times:
Saturday, October 31, 2020, 9am to 5pm
Sunday, November 1, 2020, 9am to 5pm
Monday, November 2, 2020, 8am to 5pm
Tuesday, November 3, 2020, 7am to 8pm
- Aptos – Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Rd.
- Boulder Creek – Boulder Creek Recreation Hall, 13333 Middleton Ave.
- Capitola – New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave.
- Felton – San Lorenzo Valley High School, 7105 Highway 9
- Santa Cruz – Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections, 701 Ocean St., Room 310
- Santa Cruz – Simpkins Swim Center, 979 17th Ave.
- Santa Cruz – Bonny Doon Elementary School, 1492 Pine Flat Rd.
- Santa Cruz – Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St.
- Santa Cruz – Masonic Center, 828 N. Branciforte Ave.
- Santa Cruz – Natural Bridges School, 255 Swift St.
- Scotts Valley – Scott Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Rd.
- Scotts Valley – SV High School, 555 Glenwood Dr.
- Soquel – Soquel Conference Center, 1931 Old San Jose Rd.
- Watsonville – Watsonville City Clerk’s Office/Community Room, 275 Main St., 4th Floor
- Watsonville – Pajaro Valley Community Trust, 85 Nielson St.
- Watsonville – La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave.
- Watsonville – Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave.
- Watsonville – Calabasas Elementary School, 202 Calabasas Rd.
- Santa Cruz – UCSC, Merrill Cultural Center, open ONLY Monday, November 2, 2020, 8am to 5pm and Tuesday, November 3, 2020, 7am to 8pm
VoteMobile – stay tuned!
The Santa Cruz County Elections office is also 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 on the Elections Department’s website at www.votescount.us by October 12.
Return your ballot by mail
Ballot return envelopes are mailed with each ballot and the envelope is postage paid. Ballots postmarked on or before November 3 and received by November 20 will be considered received on time.
Follow these steps to vote your ballot and prepare it for return.
- Use a blue or black ballpoint pen to fill in the oval to the left of your choice. Voting is not a test. You do not have to vote on every contest.
- Remove the top stub from your ballot by tearing at the perforated line.
- 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.
- Write the address where you live in Santa Cruz County on the envelope in the space provided.
- Sign your name on the envelope. If you do not sign your envelope, we cannot count your ballot. 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. We will compare the signature on the envelope to the signatures we have on file for you to ensure it is your ballot. If your signature does not compare, we will contact you so you can correct your signature.
- Write the date you signed the envelope.
- Provide a phone number or email where we can contact you if there is any 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. This may also be a good way for fire evacuees to vote. Voters may request a RAVBM ballot online atwww.votescount.us or by calling 831-454-2060. Ballots will be emailed after October 5.
To vote using a RAVBM, voters need to have access to a computer, printer and envelopes 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.
For more information, please contact the Santa Cruz County Clerk at 831-454-2060, info@votescount.us or visit our website atwww.votescount.us.
-end-
Join us for “Voting Matters” at 6pm, Thursday, September 3. Tammy Patrick will be our special guest to talk about postal issues. Other topics: voting for fire victims, ballot drop boxes, voting locations, and more!
Zoom link: 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.
Gail L. Pellerin, Santa Cruz County Clerk
