Political Affairs

ELECTION DATE
Tuesday, November 3, 2020

VOTER REGISTRATION INFORMATION
DEADLINE

  • The registration deadline is Tuesday, October 19, 2020. According to the California Secretary of State’s website - www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/ - your registration must be postmarked or submitted electronically no later than October 19, 2020.

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

  • Check registration status
    If you do not know whether you are registered to vote, you can quickly find out by going to the Secretary of State’s website – https://registertovote.ca.gov – then click on “Check Your Registration Status.”
  • Not registered to vote
    If you are not registered to vote, you can easily register online by going to the California Secretary of State’s website – https://registertovote.ca.gov - and click on “Register to Vote Now.”

VOTING INFORMATION

MAIL-IN BALLOTS
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, California has made changes to the absentee/mail-in voting procedure. In California, all registered voters will receive a Vote-by-Mail ballot for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Registered voters do not need to apply for a Vote-by-Mail ballot for this election. If your mailing address has changed, go to https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/vote-mail/vbm-nov2020-general-election/ to fill-out the California Vote-By-Mail Ballot Application.

When will ballots be mailed out?
The Vote-by-Mail ballots will be mailed out in California beginning on October 5, 2020 per the California Secretary of State’s website.

The California Secretary of State is now offering Where’s My Ballot? – a new way for voters to track and receive notifications on the status of their Vote-by-Mail ballot. Powered by BallotTrax, Where’s My Ballot? lets voters know where their ballot is, and its status, every step of the way.

Sign-up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov to receive automatic email, SMS (text), or voice call notifications about your ballot.

Submitting a ballot
Before submitting a ballot, voters are required to sign the eligibility oath and date the Vote-by-Mail return envelope.

The recommended options for returning a Vote-by-Mail ballot include the following:

1. Return the ballot by mail

  • Your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day.
  • No postage is required.

2. Drop-off Locations

  • You can drop-off your Vote-by-Mail ballot at various locations.
  • Go to www.LAVote.net for a list of available drop-off locations in Los Angeles County.

3. Vote Centers

  • You can drop-off your ballot at any number of Vote Centers.
  • Go to www.LAVote.net for a list of Vote Centers in Los Angeles County.

For the drop-off locations in some other counties throughout Southern California, go to:

VOTE EARLY
If you want to Vote-by-Mail and you already know who you will be voting for and which way you want to vote, vote early to avoid any problems or delays. Your vote is important. Every vote counts.

MULTILINGUAL BALLOTS
Vote-by-Mail ballots will be offered in 12 languages. Call (800) 815-2666, and select option 4 to request multilingual materials, if you are a registered voter in Los Angeles County.

IN-PERSON VOTING
In-person voting will still be available on Election Day. Governor Newsom has mandated that in-person voting opportunities for the November election be available in sufficient numbers to prevent overcrowding and to maintain physical distancing at in-person voting locations. If you do not know your polling location, visit www.sos.ca.gov, go to “Elections,” then “How to Vote,” and select “Find Your Polling Location” or please call the California Secretary of State's toll-free voter hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683).

WHAT IF YOU RECEIVE YOUR VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT AND WANT TO VOTE AT A POLLING PLACE?
You can change your mind and vote at a polling place on Election Day, even if you receive your Vote-by-Mail ballot. Just take one of the following steps as directed by the California Secretary of State’s Office:

  1. Mark your ballot and seal it inside the mailing envelope provided by your county elections official.  Sign and date the outside of the envelope in the space provided.  Bring the sealed envelope to any polling place in your county, or to your county elections office between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
  2. Bring your unused Vote-by-Mail ballot to your local polling place anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Election Day and give it to a poll worker.  The poll worker will exchange it for a polling place ballot you can use instead of the Vote-by-Mail ballot.

GET OUT THE VOTE
Let’s motivate potential voters to register and to vote.

A number of nonpartisan voter turnout organizations have formed in an effort to GET OUT THE VOTE. Some of the voter turnout organizations include the following:

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Electoral fraud is the illegal interference with the process of an election. Electoral fraud can take different forms, including in-person voter fraud and fraudulent activity involving absentee or mail ballots. Electoral fraud can occur at different points of the election process, from registration to the tallying of ballots.

We can help prevent electoral fraud to ensure fair elections. Here are some options on how you can volunteer:
1. ELECTION PROTECTION VOLUNTEER

  • Election Monitoring Opportunities with the Secretary of State
    The California Secretary of State’s Office will be offering training to individuals who are interested in volunteering to be election protection monitors.  The process is still in the works.  We are working closely with the California Secretary of State’s Office.  Once the training program is finalized, we will share that information with you.
  • Election Protection – 866OURvote – https://866ourvote.org/
    The national and nonpartisan Election Protection coalition was formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process.  Made up of more than 100 local, state and national partners, Election Protection works year-round to advance and defend the right to vote.
  • We the Action – Connecting Lawyers with Causes
    Join thousands of lawyers fighting for progress.  Through We The Action, lawyers volunteer with leading nonprofits to use their time and talent for good, one project at a time.  To find out about volunteer opportunities involving the 2020 Elections, please visit www.wetheaction.org.

2. BECOME A POLL WORKER
In a normal election, the majority of poll workers are senior citizens. Due the COVID-19 pandemic, senior citizens are especially vulnerable to serious complications from the virus. There is a great need for poll workers of all ages to help ensure that in-person voting runs smoothly and all precincts are adequately staffed.

  • California Secretary of State
    If you are interested in volunteering to be a poll worker, you can obtain information by visiting the California Secretary of State’s website - www.sos.ca.gov, go to “Voter Information - Election 2020” and scroll down to “How to Be a Poll Worker.”
  • American Association for Justice (AAJ)
    If you are already a member of AAJ, consider participating in its Voter Protection Action Committee (VPAC).  As the November election approaches, AAJ is focusing its efforts on protecting the vote. This year, AAJ's VPAC program is expanding its mission from organizing attorneys, paralegals, and law students to volunteer as poll monitors and non-attorneys to volunteer at call centers to recruiting more people to become poll workers.

    According to AAJ, there are two things you can do to help encourage people to become poll workers. First, you can direct members and people interested in taking action to AAJ's VPAC page. In addition to partnering with the trial lawyers’ associations to identify state and local groups engaged in voter protection activities, AAJ is also partnering with Power the Polls to help people become poll workers. If you have any questions about AAJ's VPAC program, please contact Tara Lee (tara.lee@justice.org).

<ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS
We are here to provide options on how to easily access information on the November elections, including in local races in Los Angeles County.

NATIONAL ELECTIONS
To obtain information on the National Elections, consider visiting:

  • FactCheck.org - www.factcheck.org - a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
  • Ballotpedia - www.ballotpedia.org.

 

LOCAL ELECTIONS

In Los Angeles County, there are two major run-off elections on the November ballot:

Los Angeles County District Attorney

Jackie Lacey (incumbent) and George Gascon (challenger)

A good way to gauge the viability or the platform of the candidates is to find out which organizations and individuals are supporting them.  You can find this information by looking at their list of endorsements on their website.

Board of Supervisors – Second District (open seat)

Holly Mitchell and Herb Wesson

To find out more about the candidates and about their endorsements, please visit their websites:

Other local elections

For a detailed list of scheduled elections in Los Angeles County, visit www.lavote.net , go to “Scheduled elections in Los Angeles County,” and click on “2020 Scheduled Elections.”

BALLOT MEASURES/PROPOSITIONS

There are 12 ballot measures on California’s November ballot.  To obtain information about each ballot measure, including the pros and cons, feel free to visit the following websites:

www.calmatters.org/explainers/california-november-2020-ballot-propositions

www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures

https://ballotpedia.org/California_2020_ballot_propositions