San Diego County opens 41 early vote centers today, with 180 more on Oct. 31

Forty-one vote centers across San Diego County open for early voting starting Saturday, Oct. 24, and 180 more open Saturday, Oct. 31, bringing the countywide total to 221, the San Diego County Registrar of Voters said.

Vote centers are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On the final day of voting, Nov. 3, all vote centers, official ballot drop boxes and the Registrar of Voters office will extend hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

At any vote center, voters can drop off a mail ballot, check in and sign the electronic roster and vote in person on a ballot marking device or with the ballot they received in the mail. Vote centers also offer accessibility assistance, voting materials in multiple languages and same-day registration, so residents can register or update their registration and vote the same day.

The county said the ballot marking device does not store, tabulate or count votes; voters print their official ballot, review it, place it in a secrecy sleeve and hand it to a poll worker, who deposits it in the ballot box for counting at the Registrar’s office.

Every active registered voter has received a ballot by mail. It can be returned by mail with no postage required, at any of the Registrar’s official ballot drop boxes or at any vote center. Voters must seal the ballot in the postage-paid return envelope and date and sign the envelope; the signature is required for the ballot to count.

Mailed ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received by the Registrar no later than seven days after Election Day. Ballots left at drop boxes or vote centers must be turned in by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

The Registrar encourages early voting to avoid lines and said ballots cast early are included in the first release of election-night results. Voters can find nearby vote centers and estimated wait times on the Registrar’s online map and sign up for ballot tracking to see when their ballot is mailed, received and counted.

Campaigning or electioneering within 100 feet of a vote center or official ballot drop box is not allowed, including displaying signs, wearing or showing items, speaking for or against any contest on the ballot, or circulating petitions. More information is at sdvote.com or by calling 858-565-5800 or 800-696-0136.

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