Voting today? Here’s what you need to know.
Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
California’s election today could play a more decisive role in this year’s Democratic presidential primary than it has in decades — and if you’ve been procrastinating on paying attention, there’s still time to make your voice heard.
More than a dozen states will vote today, Super Tuesday,
and California is the biggest prize on the map, with 415 pledged delegates at stake.
Our time in the spotlight comes just as the field of White House contenders is in flux, with former Vice President Joe Biden seeing momentum from his huge South Carolina win Saturday, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar dropping out of the race, and Sen. Bernie Sanders trying to hold on to his lead in California.
Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thanks to a new state law,
As of Sunday night, more than 1.4 million Democratic ballots had been returned to elections officials — about 20% of the mailin ballots sent out, according to data from Political Data Inc., a state political firm.
you can still register to vote or change your party registration today.
California voters can find their polling place by going to the Secretary of State’s website.
Voters who live in San Mateo County, Santa Clara County or any of the other counties around the state that are testing the California Voter’s Choice Act — a new voting system — can cast their ballot at any voting center in their county.
If you received a vote-bymail ballot, you can mail it in today — as long as it’s postmarked today and arrives at your county elections office by Friday, your vote will be counted.
You can also drop it off at your polling place, vote center or county elections office.
One important note: If you’ve already cast your vote for a candidate who has since dropped out of the race — Buttigieg, Klobuchar, former San Francisco hedge fund chief Tom Steyer or entrepreneur Andrew Yang — you can’t get a do-over.
Casting a new ballot for a different candidate could violate state law against voting twice.
If you’ve already filled out your ballot for Buttigieg or another candidate but haven’t sent it in, you can surrender the ballot at your polling place or voting center and get a new blank one.
And if you’re a No Party Preference voter who received a ballot in the mail without any presidential candidates on it, don’t send that in if you want to have a say in the Democratic primary.
You have to go to your polling place, vote center or county elections office and exchange it for a Democratic crossover ballot.
Registered Republicans or members of other parties can’t participate in the Democratic primary, but they can change their registration to Democrat or No
Party Preference and then cast a vote in the primary if they want to.
As of Sunday night, more than 1.4 million Democratic ballots had been returned to elections officials — about 20% of the mail-in ballots sent out, according to data from Political Data Inc., a state political firm.
Still, deciding whom to vote for?
You can read about what the candidates have proposed on key California issues — from housing and homelessness to wildfires and big tech — in our policy roundup at bayareane. ws/2IjwFgp.