Recall election allows several voting options

Thanks to a determined effort by Gov.

Gavin Newsom’s critics, Californians on Sept.

14 will decide whether to let the Democratic governor finish his term, which runs through

2022, or replace Newsom him with one of 46 candidates.

Here’s a look at how Inland Empire voters can help determine Newsom’s fate in the recall election by voting through the mail or in person:

How to vote

The official Election Day is Sept. 14, but voting is more complicated than that.

If you’re a registered voter, there’s a chance you’ve gotten your mail-in ballot, which all California counties are sending to registered voters no later than Monday. Head to registertovote.ca.gov if you want more information on registering.

Also, you’re going to be getting some voter information guides in the mail — one from the state and one from your county. The ballot will be different from those voter guides, which will contain candidates’ statements about why they’re running and what they hope to accomplish as governor.

Here’s a quick recall deadline schedule, courtesy of the Secretary of State’s Office:

• Aug. 30: Deadline to register to vote.

• Aug. 31-Sept. 14: Conditional voter registration (for people who missed their registration deadlines or who need to update their voter registration).

• Sept. 11-13: Early voting period.

• Sept. 14: Ballot must be postmarked by this date.

• Sept. 21: Ballot must be received by your county registrar of voters by this date.

Ballot questions

The first question asks whether Newsom should be recalled. If more than 50% vote yes, Newsom is recalled and would leave office in late October. His replacement would serve the remainder of Newsom’s term, which expires Jan. 2, 2023.

The second question asks who should replace Newsom if he is recalled. That’s where the list of 46 candidates — Republicans, Democrats and everything in between — comes in. Newsom is not among the listed candidates and you can vote on both questions or just one.

Use blue or black ink when filling out ovals on ballot questions.

Early voting

In Riverside County, early voting will be offered at the Registrar of Voters headquarters, 2720 Gateway Drive, in Riverside, starting Monday. Voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 4.

You also can vote early from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 3-5 at the Galleria at Tyler mall in Riverside, the Promenade Temecula mall and Westfield Palm Desert mall. The registrar’s office also will be open for voting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 11-13 and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 14.

In San Bernardino County, early voting starts Monday at the Registrar of Voters office, 777 E. Rialto Ave., in San Bernardino. Normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. You also can vote there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 11 and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 14.

From Sept. 7-11 and on Sept. 13, early voting will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Town of Apple Valley Recreation Center, the Joshua Tree Community Center, the Ontario Convention Center, the San Bernardino International Airport domestic terminal and Victorville City Hall.

In-person voting

In Riverside County, 145 polling places will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 11-13 and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 14. Your voter information guide should tell you where to go.

More than 300 polling places will be open in San Bernardino County from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 14. The backs of voter information guides will tell you your polling location.

Drop boxes

San Bernardino County will have 70 secure ballot drop boxes where you can deposit your ballot starting Tuesday. The boxes will be open until 8 p.m. Sept. 14. A complete list of official drop box locations is available online atsbcountyelections.com/Voting/MailBallotDropOff.aspx.

Riverside County will have more than 100 ballot drop boxes open from Monday to Sept. 14. A list is available in county voter information guides being mailed to voters.

L.A. County

Residents here also have early voting and ballot drop boxes. The main difference is that instead of neighborhood precincts, L.A. County relies on a smaller number of vote centers open to any of the county’s registered voters.

Ballot tracking

Use an online tool on the Secretary of State’s office website called Where’s My Ballot? You’ll be able to track and receive notifications on the status of your voteby-mail ballot at each stop on its way to being counted.

You can sign up at wheresmyballot.sos. ca.gov to receive an automatic email, text or voice call notifications about your ballot.

You can also go to “My Voter Status” to find out if your vote was counted. If not, you can find out why not through voterstatus. sos.ca.gov.

County registrars will post results online after 8 p.m. Sept. 14.

Keep in mind that it will take days if not longer to count late-arriving mail ballots, investigate and process provisional ballots — given to voters whose eligibility is in question — and give voters who forgot to sign their mail-in ballot a chance to correct their error. The higher the turnout, the longer it will take to count votes.

Check PE.com, redlandsdailyfacts.com, sbsun.com and dailybulletin.com for the latest on the recall and election night results.