What's the last date to register to vote and the last date to request an absentee ballot?
October 24 was the last date to register. You can request an absentee ballot through November 1 at the San Mateo County Elections Office at 50 Tower Road in San Mateo.
How long are the polls open?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, November 8). All those waiting in line at 8 p.m. will be permitted to vote.
My absentee ballot hasn't arrived. What should I do?
Go to http://www.shapethefuture.org/ to track your absentee ballot. If one has not arrived, you can call the Elections Office at (650) 312-5222 to request that a duplicate be sent. You may also request and vote a ballot at the Elections Office, anytime from now through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Or you can vote in person at your usual polling place, which you can find on the Shape the Future Web site.
I'm not sure my absentee ballot was recorded. How can I make sure?*
If there is any question about whether the county has a record of your vote, you can request a Provisional Ballot at your usual polling place. It will be counted once election officials determine that your absentee ballot was not turned in.
What's the latest date I should mail my absentee ballot?
Your ballot must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Postmarks do not count. For that reason, it's best to mail your ballot well in advance of Election Day, November 8. If you're not sure it will get there in time, you can take it to your usual polling place on Election Day or to the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo on or before Election Day.
How much postage does my absentee ballot require to be mailed?
You'll need to put 60 cents in stamps on your absentee ballot when you mail it.
I usually vote at the polls but must be out of town. Can I still vote?
Yes. You can vote anytime within 29 days prior to an election by going to the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, whether or not you have an absentee ballot.
I have an absentee ballot, but I'm going to be away (or am ill or disabled) on Election Day. What should I do?
Absentee ballots include instructions on how to designate an "authorized agent" to return your absentee ballot for you. Or you can drive to the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo and turn it in on or before Election Day. There are also absentee ballot drop boxes in each City Hall in San Mateo County.
I made an error while marking my absentee ballot. What should I do?
If there's still time to get another absentee ballot mailed, mark an "X" in the box on the upper left-hand side on the flap of the return envelope and return it to the Elections Office. Otherwise, take it in person to 40 Tower Road in San Mateo and request another ballot.
How can I find out more about how and where to vote?
Go to San Mateo County's official voter info site, http://www.shapethefuture.org/, or the League of Women's Voters site, http://www.smartvoter.org/.
Directions to 40 Tower Road in San Mateo:
Take Highway 101 south to Highway 92 and go west on Highway 92. Take the Ralston Avenue exit toward Belmont. Turn right onto Ralston Avenue, which become Polhemus Road. Turn left onto Tower Road. The Elections Office is up a steep driveway on the left side.
Information verified with San Mateo County Elections Office on October 24, 2005
- Here's How to Track Your Absentee Ballot:
San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Warren Slocum convened a group of San Mateo County voters over the summer to determine how their Elections Office could improve election information for voters and what would increase voter confidence in the voting process. "The absentee voters told us that voting by mail couldn't be any easier, but they were never 100% sure that their ballot was received at the Elections by Election Day," he said. "A light bulb went off in my head."
"Why not provide absentee voters the option to go online to track and confirm that we received their voted ballot. FedEx, UPS and USPS all offer their customers a package-tracking system. We simply used that model. At Elections, we use barcodes on ballots for the purpose of comparing and confirming a voter's signature with the signature on their voted absentee ballot. This application uses that same barcode to advise voters when an absentee ballot was mailed to them and when we received their voted ballots. Absentee Voters log on http://www.shapethefuture.org, click on the Track & Confirm link and enter their street number, zip code and birth date. If we've received their ballot, it will confirm that we have it and show when it was received. If not, they will get additional guidance."
This information came from the Election Department's website. With 33% of the county's registered voters choosing to be permanent absentee voters, the new system should serve them well.
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League of Women Voters of North and Central San Mateo County, California. All rights reserved.
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