Eligible Santa Clara County residents who have not registered to vote in the June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election can take advantage of special extended hours today to ensure that they will be able to cast a ballot. The Registrar of Voters’ Office will remain open until 8:00 p.m. today for those who wish to complete their voter registration forms or vote early. Today is the last day to register to vote or to re-register with a different party preference in order to vote for a presidential candidate of the voter’s choosing.
Voters who do not wish to travel can register online using the California Online Voter Registration website. Online registration must be completed before midnight in order to meet the deadline. Alternatively, voters can sign and return paper registration forms by mail; paper registration forms that are postmarked today will be accepted. Paper registration forms are available at post offices, public libraries, fire stations, city halls, and most local government offices.
The Registrar of Voters’ Office encourages early voting. Voters who prefer to cast their ballot in person can vote early at the Registrar of Voters’ Office every weekday and on the two weekends prior to the election, or at an Early Voting Center on the two weekends prior to the election.
Vote by Mail voters can vote early by mailing their ballots or dropping them off at one of 52 drop-off, drive-thru, and early voting sites before the election.
No postage is necessary for voters returning their ballots using a postage-paid return envelope that is included with every Vote by Mail ballot. In previous elections, voters had to pay the cost of return postage, which frequently exceeded a single first-class stamp.
Notably, Santa Clara is only the second county in the state to feature prepaid postage for Vote by Mail ballots. Registrar of Voters Shannon Bushey stated, “There is no more important action in a democracy than voting. The Registrar of Voters’ Office is passionate about increasing voter turnout. We hope that we will make it easier to vote by providing prepaid postage for all Vote by Mail ballots, and by providing Early Voting Centers for all voters in the county.
“No Party Preference” Voters
The Registrar of Voters’ Office mailed over 150,000 postcards to “No Party Preference” (Decline to State or Non-Partisan) voters on March 24 to inform them about voting for a presidential candidate in the primary election.
Voters who registered with no party preference may request a ballot to vote for a candidate of the Democratic, American Independent, or Libertarian parties. The postcard sent by the Registrar of Voters’ Office advises “No Party Preference” voters of their option to choose a party ballot – Democratic, American Independent, or Libertarian – that they would like to vote. This postcard does not change voters’ party affiliation, but does allow voters to vote for the presidential candidate listed on their chosen party ballot.
Voters who registered with no party preference and who would like to vote for the presidential candidate of the Republican, Green, or Peace & Freedom parties must re-register to vote with that party by today, Monday, May 23. The Republican, Green, and Peace & Freedom parties do not allow “No Party Preference” voters to vote their party ballot.
A voter should complete a new registration form if he or she has moved, changed a name(s), or would like to change his or her political party preference. To register to vote in Santa Clara County, a voter must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on or before Election Day, a Santa Clara County resident and not imprisoned or on parole for a felony.
Today is the last day to register to vote in the June 7, 2016 Presidential Primary Election. Registration can be done online at Register to Vote. Voters who would like to check their registration status may do so at Check Your Registration Status. Voters may also request to vote by mail for this election at Request a Vote by Mail Ballot, or they may request to become permanent Vote by Mail voters at Permanent Vote by Mail.
First In, First Counted
Voters are encouraged to mail their ballots as soon as possible. Completed ballots that are received prior to Election Day are included in the results released at 8 p.m. on Election Night.
Early Voting
Any voter in Santa Clara County can vote early at the Registrar of Voters’ Office, which is located at 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San Jose, CA 95112.
Day(s) Date(s) Hours
Monday – Friday May 9 – June 6 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday May 28 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday May 29 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday June 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday June 5 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tuesday June 7 (Election Day) 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Early Voting Centers
During the two weekends prior to Election Day, voters have the option of casting their ballot at any one of five convenient Early Voting Centers or at the Registrar of Voters’ Office. Once voters arrive at the Early Voting Center of their choice or at the Registrar of Voters’ Office, they can obtain a ballot and cast it in person, or they can take it home to complete later. Voters can also drop off their completed Vote by Mail ballot, receive a replacement for a lost or damaged Vote by Mail ballot, or use a touch screen voting machine. The touch screen voting machines are accessible to blind and visually impaired voters.
A ballot that is cast at an Early Voting Center or at the Registrar of Voters’ Office must be sealed inside a signed envelope and the voter’s signature must be verified before the ballot can be counted.
Day(s) Date(s) Hours
Saturday – Sunday May 28 – May 29 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday June 4 – June 5 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Early Voting Centers will be located at:
Gilroy Library – 350 W. Sixth Street, Gilroy, CA 95020
San Jose Public Library – Joyce Ellington Branch – 491 E. Empire Street, San Jose, CA 95112
Los Altos Library – 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022
Santa Clara City Library – 2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA 95051
San Jose Public Library – Educational Park Branch – 1772 Educational Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95133
Ballot Drop-Off Sites
Beginning May 9 and continuing through Election Day, Vote by Mail voters have the option of dropping off their completed ballots at the following locations:
Open during normal business hours
Santa Clara County Government Center – 1st Floor, 70 W. Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110 Monte Sereno City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 18041 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road, Monte Sereno, CA 95030
Campbell City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 70 N. First Street, Campbell, CA 95008
Morgan Hill City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 17575 Peak Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Cupertino City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 10300 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014
Mountain View City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA 94041
Gilroy City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 7351 Rosanna Street, Gilroy, CA 95020
Palo Alto City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Los Altos City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 1 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022
San Jose City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, Wing 2, San Jose, CA 95113
Los Altos Hills Town Hall – Town Clerk’s Office, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022 Santa Clara City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050
Los Gatos Town Hall – Town Clerk’s Office, 110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Saratoga City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
Milpitas City Hall – City Clerk’s Office, 455 E. Calaveras Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035
Sunnyvale City Hall – City Finance Office, 650 W. Olive Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Martin Luther King Library – Inside drop-box, 150 E. San Fernando Street, San Jose, CA 95112 Mitchell Park Library – Inside drop-box, 3700 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Rose Garden Library – Inside drop-box, 1580 Naglee Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126
Open 24 hours a day
San Jose State University – at Clark Hall Bldg. & The Villages, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95112
West Valley College – at Admissions near the flag pole, 14000 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
De Anza College – at Main Quad near the flag pole, 21250 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Cupertino, CA 95014
Gavilan College – at Student Center, 5055 Santa Teresa Boulevard, Gilroy, CA 95020
Evergreen Valley College – at Cafeteria located in Gullo 1, 3095 Yerba Buena Road, San Jose, CA 95135
Mission College – at Drop off/Pick-up Loop, 3000 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Foothill College – at Building 1900-Administration near the flag pole, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
San Jose City College – at Student Center, 2100 Moorpark Avenue, San Jose, CA 95128
Berryessa Library – Outside drop-box, 3355 Noble Avenue, San Jose, CA 95132
Milpitas Library – Outside drop-box, 160 N. Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035
Campbell Library – Outside drop-box, 77 Harrison Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008
Mountain View Public Library – Outside drop-box, 585 Franklin Street, Mountain View, CA 94041
Central Park Library – Outside drop-box, 2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA 95051
Morgan Hill Library – Outside drop-box, 660 W. Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Cupertino Library – Outside drop-box, 10800 Torre Avenue, Cupertino, CA 95014
Pearl Avenue Library – Outside drop-box, 4270 Pearl Avenue, San Jose, CA 95136
Gilroy Library – Outside drop-box, 350 W. Sixth Street, Gilroy, CA 95020
Saratoga Library – Outside drop-box, 13650 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga, CA 95070
Los Altos Library – Outside drop-box, 13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022
Tully Community Library – Outside drop-box, 880 Tully Road, San Jose, CA 95111
Los Gatos Library – Outside drop-box, 100 Villa Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Woodland Branch Library – Outside drop-box, 1975 Grant Road, Los Altos, CA 94024
Drive-Thru Ballot Drop-Off Sites
On Saturdays, May 28 & 29 and June 4 & 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Vote by Mail voters will have the option of dropping off their ballots without getting out of their vehicles at convenient Drive-Thru Ballot Drop-Off Sites. The sites will be located at:
Curtner Light Rail Station – Canoas Garden Avenue at Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
Morgan Hill Transit Center – Main Avenue at Hale Avenue, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Hostetter Light Rail Station – Capitol Avenue at Camino del Rey, San Jose, CA 95132
Westgate Shopping Center –
back lot near Hamilton Avenue, 1600 Saratoga Avenue, San Jose, CA 95129
Mayfield Soccer Complex – Page Mill Road at El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94304
For more information, contact the Registrar of Voters’ Office at 1-408-299-VOTE (8683) or toll-free at 1-866-430-VOTE (8683), or visit www.sccvote.org.
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