Everything you need to know about voting in Kern

Ready or not, Election Day is right around the corner. Coming during the coronavirus pandemic and a heightened period of civil unrest, Nov. 3 could prove to be a unique day in which the American people choose their next round of leaders.

The biggest difference Kern County residents will see is that every registered voter will be sent a mail-in ballot. The state is encouraging Californians to vote by mail this year in order to avoid crowding at polling stations, which could help spread COVID-19.

The change won’t be that much of a difference from previous elections as 72 percent of ballots cast in March’s primary in Kern County were sent in by mail. Counties throughout the state will begin mailing ballots to voters by Oct. 5.

Ballots can be mailed in up to Election Day. They will be counted as long as they are postmarked on or before Nov. 3. A secure drop box will be placed outside the County Administrative Center, 1115 Truxtun Ave., 29 days before the election.

Other drop-off points are expected to be announced soon.

A ballot will be counted as long as it is received before Nov. 20 and the voter’s signature matches the signature on file at the election office. If the signatures do not match, the voter will be notified and given an opportunity to correct the deficiency.

Ballots can be tracked at california.ballottrax.net.

For those who want to vote in person, don’t worry. Kern County Elections Division has issued assurances that the number of polling sites will be the same in November as it was in March.

The Elections Division strongly encourages voters to bring their mail-in ballots with them to their polling stations prior to voting. Those who do not will need to vote provisionally, which requires the elections office to certify that a mail-in ballot has not already been counted.

Masks are strongly encouraged, but not required.

Those who do not bring a mask to a polling site may need to follow alternate protocols to protect the health of poll workers and other voters, which may take longer.

Polling sites will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines regarding social distancing and sanitizing of surfaces. Voters may need to wait in line outside a polling site if the location becomes too crowded.