Special election ballots mailed

Less than a month since Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement about voteby-mail ballots for the 25th Congressional District, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk has started mailing ballots.

More than 350,000 vote-by-mail ballots are en route to voters in the 25th Congressional District for the May 12 special election, the Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk announced Monday.

“Voters must return their ballot on or postmark by Election Day, May 12,” read a news release from the registrar’s office. “No return postage is required.”

The election will have 22 vote-bymail drop box locations open 24 hours throughout the district, including 10 sites within the Santa Clarita Valley, such as Santa Clarita Park, Los Angeles County Fire Station 132 and the Valencia Library.

All ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day and voters can track the status of one’s ballot online with the vote-by-mail status tool on lavote.net.

Beginning May 2, there will be vote centers available for the public to vote safely in person, following public health and safety guidelines. For more information see the Voting Period landing page.

The vote-by-mail directive comes as Newsom announced in late March that all voters would receive the ballots in an effort to protect the public’s health amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a previous statement, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said: “Our democracy will not be halted by this pandemic. We will adapt to new circumstances and continue to provide free and fair elections for our citizens.”

The May 12 special election, which came as a result of former Rep. Katie Hill’s resignation last year, will have candidates Christy Smith and Mike Garcia face off in the race to fill the unfinished term in Congress. In November, the two will run for the new term.