Three ways to vote in El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Ballots for the November 3 General Election were mailed on Monday to the over 130,000 registered voters in El Dorado County.

“There has been significant news and concern about the United States Postal Service’s ability to handle the high volume of mail ballots for this election,” said El Dorado County’s Registrar of Voters Bill O’Neill. “To ensure our voters receive their ballot timely and without issue we have worked hard to get our ballots produced and ready early. As a result, ballots will be mailed to all registered voters in El Dorado County on Monday, September 28th.”

If voters don't see their ballot by October 5 they can ask for a replacement by calling the elections office or stopping by their office - (530) 621-7480 or 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville.

There are three ways to vote in El Dorado County this election - by mail, at a voting center, or by placing the ballot in an official drop box.

"We are taking measure so everyone has an opportunity to cast their ballot," said El Dorado County’s Assistant Registrar of Voters Linda Webster.

The County has increased those opportunities by offering curbside voting for those that don't want to get out of their vehicles, and for those who do not wear masks.

Vote Centers

Open October 31-November 3. For the first three days they will be open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on election day from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

In the South Lake Tahoe area these centers are at the California Conservation Corps at 1949 Apache and in the Lisa Maloff Center at Lake Tahoe Community College. Masks are required. For a full list of voting centers, visit HERE.

During the last election the centers were open 11 days, but due to COVID-19 protocols and SB450, the Voters Choice Act, they are now open for four days. The 13 centers will be following all safety guidelines including cleaning surfaces, reduced number of voters allowed inside at any time, mask and social distancing practices followed.

There will be curbside options at the centers, said Webster. Two staff members will be outside each Voting Center location, one with a "vote by mail" bag to retrieve ballots handed to them and the other who will accommodate those wanting to vote in their vehicles. That staff member will get the voter's information, go inside to retrieve a ballot, then take back to the voter for completion.

Drop Boxes

Boxes will be open October 6 - November 3. Hours depend on the location but they will all be locked at 8:00 p.m. on November 3.

In the South Lake Tahoe area, boxes will be at the library, Holiday Market and Grocery Outlet. The library, located at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd, is open 24-hours, Holiday Market at 2977 US Hwy 50 is open 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Grocery Outlet at 2358 Lake Tahoe Blvd is open 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., all daily.

For a full list of county drop boxes, visit HERE.

Mail

Ballots received in the mail can be filled out and mailed in. It is very important to place the signature where requested.

Webster said adding a stamp to the prepaid envelope will not get the ballot to them any quicker, as is the current advise being given online. In a county, first class mail is handled at the same speed as standard mail.

Due to COVID-19, all registered voters in the state are getting a ballot so Webster said there it the potential for the process to get bogged down. All ballots postmarked by November 3, or submitted at Voting Center or placed in the drop boxes by 8:00 p.m. on November 3 will be counted as long as received by the County by November 20 (17 days).

The Elections Department still has just 30 days from the November 3 to certify the election.

“One of the most common questions I receive is about the safety of the election process, particularly given the several options available to voters,” O’Neill said. “Our office has a strict protocol we follow to protect the rights and votes of each registered voter, including processes that check for multiple ballots being cast by a single voter and verifying signatures on file against the ballots cast.” There will COVID safety protocols in place which may cause delays. If you wish to vote in person, please consider voting early and be prepared for a wait. “I invite anyone with a concern or interested in the process to visit the Elections department and see this transparent process in action."

People who are interested in tracking their ballot once mailed in can do so by visiting https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/. Information will be posted here once a ballot is received by an elections department in California.