Vote By Mail Has Started

By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter

Want to vote for president? Don’t want to wait until November? Vote by mail in California starts this week.

Throughout the state, election officials start mailing General Election ballots today to those who have decided to mail in their ballots, instead of going to the polls Nov. 6, said Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State and the state’s chief elections officer.

Ballots already have been sent to military and overseas voters, she said.

“With the ever-increasing popularity of voting by mail, Election Day has really become election month,” she said. In the June 2012 primary election, about 65 percent of the ballots cast were vote-by-mail ones.

“It’s convenient because you can mark your ballot and mail it now, or mark it as you make up your mind on issues and candidates,” she said.

Benicians and other California voters will decide 11 propositions and the races for one United States Senator, all of the state’s U. S. Representatives, and members of both houses in the California Legislature.

“Any California voter may vote by mail,” Bowen said. However, to vote by mail or in person, a resident must be registered to vote.

The last day to register to vote is Oct. 22, she said. Applications can be obtained online at RegisterToVote.ca.gov and www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov/.

Those who prefer to pick up applications may do so at Benicia Post Offices, Benicia Public Library, California Department of Motor Vehicle offices and other government offices, Bowen said.

Registered voters may request a vote-by-mail as late as Oct. 30, and may do so by using the application printed on the back of sample ballot booklets mailed by the Solano County Registrar of Voters, or through the websites www.sos.ca.gov/elections/vote-by-mail/pdf/fill-in-vote-by-mail-app-instruct.pdf or http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/rov.

Registered voters may cast ballots in person prior to Nov. 6 by visiting their county elections office. For Benicians, that would be the Registrar of Voters office, 675 Texas St. Suite 2600 in Fairfield.

During election day, those who haven’t mailed in their ballots may drop them off at any polling place within Solano County, including the elections office.

“All valid vote-by-mail ballots are counted in every election, regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race,” Bowen assured.