Sonoma State University

Voting

So how do you vote? In the November 3rd election, you can either vote by mail, use a secure drop box, vote in-person or drop off your mail ballot at a polling place. Those registered to vote in Sonoma County can vote or return thier ballot at any precinct in Sonoma County. The link below will show you a list of planned precinct and ballot drop box locations, days and hours for early voting, and more.

Where to Vote in Sonoma County (Be sure to recheck this link for location changes.)

How to vote in person by mail, a drop box or voting in-person at a polling place: in the November 3rd, General Election

All active registered voters in California will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot. You may return completed ballots by:

  • Mail:  Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, November 3, 2020 and received by Friday, November 20, 2020.                   
  • Drop box: Ballots can be put in an official drop box, from Oct 5 through Election Day, November 3rd. There will be about 20 drop box locations in Sonoma County.
     

    drop box

     

  • Polling place: ballots can also be returned to any polling place within Sonoma County but only if you registered to vote in Sonoma County. 
  • There will be fewer polling places but more days to vote early, in-person at a polling place or to bring in your vote by mail ballot.
  • About 30 polling places in Sonoma County will be open for early voting or returning your ballot from October 31 through November 2. Hours for early voting/returning mail ballots are 9am to 5pm on these days.
  • Polling place hours for Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd are 7 am- 8pm. The deadline for returning a Vote by Mail ballot in person is 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2020.
  • Your Vote by Mail ballot may be returned to any polling place, but only in the county from which it was issued. If you received a vote by mail ballot from another county, you cannot return it to a polling place in Sonoma County.

DO NOT TAKE ANY CHANCES – RETURN YOUR MAIL BALLOT EARLY

Ballots returned in the last few days will not be counted on election night, but will be counted during the Official Canvass following the election.

Tracking your ballot – IMPORTANT

Tracking your vote-by-mail ballot—when it is mailed, received, and counted—Is a new option. The California Secretary of State is now offering Where’s My Ballot, a way for voters to track and receive notifications on the status of their vote-by-mail ballot. Sign up at Where's My Ballot to receive email, SMS (text) or voice call notifications about your ballot.

ballot

Again, be sure to check your voter registration status.

Voting in-Person at a Polling Place

Polls in California are open from 7am-8pm. Times are strictly enforced. Everyone in line at 8 pm will be allowed to vote – but don’t blow it and show up at 8:01pm.

Just go to ANY polling place shown on your Sample Ballot (or look it up at vote.sonoma-county.org) give your name and your Sonoma County address. If it is the first time you are voting in a federal election you may be asked to show identification, your Driver’s License, State ID or Student ID card will do.

Provisional ballots. These are your last resort for voting, but can be a life saver. While anyone can request a Provisional Ballot, not all Provisional Ballots are counted (approximately 75% are counted)

What Provisional Votes Aren’t

  • A Provisional Ballot is not a means to vote if you are not registered to vote.
  • A Provisional Ballot is not a means to vote if you are not in the county in which you are registered.

What Provisional Votes Are

  • A Provisional Ballots will be issued to anyone whose right to voted cannot be established at the polls.
  • A Provisional Ballot will only be counted if the voter is registered to vote and is voting in the county in which he or she is registered.
  • A Provisional Ballot will be counted if the voter is in the right county, but at the wrong polling place (only the votes cast on contests on which the voter is eligible to vote are counted).
  • A Provisional Ballot will be counted if the voter’s Vote by Mail ballot was not received by the deadline (postmarked by election day and received within 17 days after the election – Friday, November 20th)

In case you still have questions

Here is a link to the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Website’s Frequently Asked Questions Page. For other information here is link to the Registrar’s home page.

And if you need live assistance, again he phone number of the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters office is (707) 565–6800. They are vey helpful so don’t hesitate to contact them with any questions you may have.

If you are registered to vote in another county and want to reach the Registrar’s office there, visit our California County Registrar of Voters Offices webpage.

(All information provided here is unofficial and not for legal purposes. For official information about registering and voting, you should contact the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters office at (707) 565–6800 or visit their website).