Santa Clara County voters can begin casting their ballots Oct. 6 for the Nov. 4 statewide special election. The short ballot includes choices for California Proposition 50, as well as a county sales tax measure and the assessor’s race.
The County Registrar of Voters has mailed more than 1 million vote-by-mail packets to registered voters as of Oct. 6, registrar’s office staff said.
“We want to make voting as convenient and accessible as possible,” Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Matt Moreles said. “Whether you prefer voting in person, mailing back your ballot or using one of our secure ballot drop boxes, you have multiple safe and reliable options to ensure your vote counts.”
Voters will have secure and convenient options to make their voices heard, including access to more than 100 ballot drop boxes located throughout Santa Clara County, early in-person voting at the Registrar of Voters’ Office, and vote centers opening later this month, election officials said.
Voters may cast their ballots in person at the Registrar of Voters’ Office (1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, San José). The office is open 8am-5pm Monday-Friday (including holidays) and will also be open Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25-26 and Nov. 1-2, from 9am-5pm.
“Voting is one of the most important civic responsibilities we have as residents of this community,” said Santa Clara County Executive James R. Williams. “Our democracy depends on broad participation, and the county has made it as simple and accessible as possible for every eligible voter to cast a ballot.”
Official ballot drop boxes are located in publicly accessible locations throughout the county, including two that are located outside of the SAP Center at San Jose, where county officials gathered for a press briefing on Monday to kick off early voting.
Additional ballot drop boxes are located at public locations throughout South County, and are available 24 hours a day. The drop boxes are securely locked and regularly collected by trained registrar of voters’ staff.
A full list of ballot drop boxes can be found on the registrar’s website at sccvote.org/dropbox.
Vote by mail packets sent out to registered Santa Clara County voters include an official ballot; postage paid return envelope; step-by-step voting instructions; and an “I Voted” sticker.
The statewide special election ballot for Santa Clara County voters includes three contests: a statewide proposition (Proposition 50), a county proposition (Measure A), and a candidate contest for county assessor.
Four candidates are running for county assessor—Bryan Do, Neysa Fligor, Rishi Kumar and Yan Zhao. The winning candidate will replace longtime assessor Larry Stone, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
State and county voter information guides are available for review in multiple languages on the Registrar of Voters’ website, at sccvote.org.
Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day (Nov. 4) and received by the Registrar of Voters’ Office by Nov. 11 to be counted, the registrar’s office said.
The last day to register to vote and receive a ballot by mail is Oct. 20. After that date, residents can still register and vote on the same day at the registrar of voters’ office or at any vote center through Election Day.
Vote centers will open Oct. 25 and will provide in-person voting, ballot replacement, same-day registration and multilingual assistance.
“Every voice matters in shaping the future of our community,” Moreles added. “We encourage all voters to take advantage of the many safe and secure ways to participate in this special election.”
For updated information, including locations and hours for Vote Centers and Official Drop Boxes, visit sccvote.org or call the registrar’s office at 408.299.VOTE (8683) or toll-free at 866.430.VOTE (8683).
