As the Trump administration and more than 20 states continue fighting in court over whether the president can direct the U.S. Postal Service to restrict how mail ballots are handled ahead of the Nov. 3 election, a wave of social media posts is urging voters to skip the mail altogether. Instead, users are encouraging friends and family to vote early in person or drop their ballots directly into official drop boxes.

Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation, said the uncertainty swirling around the Trump administration’s plans may end up working against the president’s own goals.

“This whole play may backfire,” Alexander said. “What you’re seeing now on social media in response to this court drama and this confusion are lots of people urging their friends to vote early — and that’s exactly what we’ve been saying.”

Election officials have long pushed early voting because ballots that arrive by mail take longer to process. Workers must open each envelope, verify signatures and prepare the ballot before it can be counted. When voters submit ballots several days ahead of the deadline, county officials can get a head start on that work, which speeds up results once polls close — and allows race callers to project winners sooner.

The dispute traces back to March, when President Trump signed an executive order attempting to give the federal government oversight of who can receive a mail ballot. To implement that order, the Postal Service last month proposed a system that would assign a unique tracking barcode to every mailed ballot and cross-check it against a database of registered voters.

The catch: no such comprehensive federal voter database currently exists. The plan would rely on individual states voluntarily submitting voter registration data to a so-called “federal ballot mail portal” that has not yet been built. Under Trump’s proposal, the Postal Service would refuse to deliver ballots in any state that declines to share that information.

So far, federal courts have blocked the plan from moving forward, siding with the states that sued to stop it. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, allowed the administration last month to continue preparing for implementation while the justices consider a final ruling.

Until that ruling comes down, California counties are proceeding as usual, according to Tricia Webber, clerk and registrar of voters for Santa Cruz County and president of the California Association of County Election Officials.

Locally, residents can expect county registrars across the Inland Empire and Southern California to continue promoting early voting options — ballot drop boxes, vote centers and mail-in ballots submitted well ahead of the deadline — regardless of how the federal case unfolds.

Community members interested in learning more about ballot security closer to home can attend a public forum hosted by CalMatters and the UC Riverside School of Public Policy on Sept. 24 in Riverside. The event will examine the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s handling of mail ballots and what the incident could mean for future elections in the region.

Original source: CalMatters

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As of the latest statewide ballot-tracking figures cited by Political Data Inc., about 92% of California voters had not yet returned their ballots. Voters still have time, but election officials urge residents not to wait until the last moment, especially if they plan to vote by mail.

The June 2 primary features a wide-open contest for governor, with several well-known Democrats and Republicans competing for just two spots on the November ballot. Under California’s primary system, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party.

The field became especially fluid after some of the state’s most prominent Democrats, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, opted not to run. Former Rep. Eric Swalwell had appeared to be gaining support among Democratic voters earlier in the year, but he left the race after allegations of sexual misconduct.

The candidates include Xavier Becerra, a Democrat and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary who previously served as California attorney general; Chad Bianco, a Republican and Riverside County sheriff; Steve Hilton, a Republican, former Fox News host and former adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron; Matt Mahan, a Democrat and mayor of San Jose; Katie Porter, a Democrat and former Orange County congresswoman; Tom Steyer, a Democratic billionaire entrepreneur and former presidential candidate; Tony Thurmond, a Democrat and California’s superintendent of public instruction; and Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, former Los Angeles mayor and former Assembly speaker.

Recent polling has not shown a decisive front-runner. A Democratic Party poll showed Hilton at 22%, Becerra at 21% and Steyer at 15%, leaving open the possibility of a closely contested finish.

California’s top-two primary system has been in place since voters approved Proposition 14 in 2010. Supporters said it would encourage candidates to appeal beyond their party bases, while critics warned it could narrow choices by allowing two candidates from the same party to advance to November. With so many contenders in the governor’s race, that remains a possibility this year.

Voters who still plan to mail their ballots should make sure the envelopes are postmarked on or before Election Day and received by county election offices within seven days. Election officials generally recommend mailing ballots at least five days before June 2. Those mailing close to the deadline should consider taking the ballot inside a post office and requesting a hand-stamped postmark.

Ballots also may be returned at official drop boxes or voting locations. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can look up polling places and ballot drop-off sites through the California Secretary of State’s office or their county elections office.

Results will begin coming in on election night, but final tallies will take longer. County election officials must begin reporting results to the secretary of state no more than two hours after they start counting. Counties have 30 days to complete their counts and submit final results, and the state has 38 days to certify the election.

In addition to governor, voters will see several statewide offices on the ballot, including superintendent of public instruction, lieutenant governor, controller, secretary of state, treasurer and insurance commissioner.

Another office on the ballot is the Board of Equalization, an elected tax board created by the state in 1879. Its authority is now limited largely to property tax oversight, though the office has also served as a steppingstone for politicians seeking higher office.

For Inland Empire voters, the governor’s race carries a local connection through Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, who is among the Republicans seeking a place in the November runoff. But with the field divided and many ballots still unreturned, the outcome remains uncertain heading into the final days of voting.

Original source: CalMatters

The post Get up to speed fast on the California election with our guide for the undecided appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Ballot boxes opened across California on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Voters have until Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. to get their ballot into a local vote center or ballot box. Ballots going out through the mail can arrive as late as Nov. 12 as long as they are postmarked on or before Election Day.

Counties began mailing ballots by Oct. 7 — all active, registered voters are expected to receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the general election.

Not sure if you’re registered to vote, or need to change your address? You can find out here and make any changes you may need, as well. Californians need to register to vote by Oct. 21 to vote in the Nov. 5 election. You can also register in person on Election Day for a conditional ballot.

Vote centers in Lake Elsinore will be open for early in-person voting beginning Oct. 26. On Election Day, vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Ballot boxes and voting locations in Lake Elsinore:

• Canyon Lake Middle School, 33005 Canyon Hills Rd.
• Aaron Chevrolet Lake Elsinore, 31201 Auto Center Dr.
• Outlets at Lake Elsinore, 17600 Collier Ave.
• Lake Community Center, 310 W Graham Ave.
• Lake Elsinore City Hall, 130 S Main St.
• Lakeland Village Community Center, 16275 Grand Ave.

The locations listed above will also serve as vote centers, where residents can vote early, access same-day voter registration or just drop a ballot off. They will be open from Nov. 2 to Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Election Day, the locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

While the competition with the most buzz is undoubtedly the race for the presidency between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump — there are plenty of races to watch in Lake Elsinore. Check back with Patch for the latest coverage.

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