ELECTION 2020: WHY IT MATTERS
Don’t Delay … Vote TODAY
COVID-19 and statewide vote-by-mail increases importance of voting early
For the past two elections, several California counties have been conducting their balloting entirely by mail, with voters receiving a ballot in the mail and having the option to mail it back or drop it off at secure designated locations.
This year, thanks to COVID-19, every California voter will be part of the program. As part of the state’s COVID-19 response, ballots for this November’s election will be mailed to all registered voters. Not a “sample ballot” — the actual ballot.
Ballots will be sent to voters during the week of October 5th — approximately one month before Election Day, November 3, 2020.
County registrars will designate specific locations where ballots can be dropped off.
Voters will also have the option of casting ballots at designated polling locations.
Ballots must be postmarked no later than November 3, 2020
Why it matters that you register and vote early
CPF has been working for more than a decade to increase flexibility in voting. For firefighters, the ability to vote by mail is critical, as their status as emergency responders could put them out of commission on Election Day. With California’s ever-growing wildfire risk, it’s especially important for firefighters to have the ability to vote by mail.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also complicated the voting process. The U.S. Postal Service has seen its workload expand dramatically during the pandemic, with more people doing business online. This could lead to delays in delivering the mail. Because of COVID-19, there are fewer people willing to act as polling station workers because of the pandemic.
What you need to do now
If you haven’t registered to vote, register TODAY. You must be registered by October 5, 2020 to receive your ballot.
If you have registered, watch for your ballot to arrive the first week in October.
Fill out your ballot and mail it in right away. Don’t delay.
If you want to drop off your ballot, check with your county registrar of voters for early voting or drop-off locations.