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Vote by Mail Ballots For:
June 3, 2008 Statewide Consolidated Primary
History:
Vote by Mail Voters History Chart
It all began during the Civil War when the first vote by mail ballots were allowed by the North for the soldiers and sailors. California first allowed vote by mail voting in 1920. Universal vote by mail voting began in 1978. Prior to that, vote by mail ballots were available only to the ill and disabled, those who lived too far from the polls and other special circumstances. As a result of the change in legislation allowing any person to vote by mail, it has become a very popular means to cast a ballot. Vote by mail voting has risen from 10-15% of the voters to 30% in the November 4, 1996 general election. This year's numerous elections sent the numbers soaring- in the June 3rd primary election, 46.5% of the those who voted cast a vote by mail ballot.
How To Apply for a Vote by Mail Ballot:
The first day an vote by mail ballot may be mailed to a voter is 29 days prior to the election. Vote by mail requests must be received no later than 7 days prior to the election in order for the ballot to be mailed to the voter. After that date the voter must appear in the Office of the County Clerk-Recorder and complete an application indicating the reason they cannot appear at the polls on election day. Vote by mail ballots may be requested in one of six ways:
- By filling out the Vote by Mail Application on the back cover of the sample ballot sent to each registered voter;
- By letter to the County Clerk-Recorder, 1055 Monterey St. Rm. D120, San Luis Obispo CA 93408. The letter must state the voters name, residence address, address to which the ballot should be sent and voter's signature.
- In person at the County Clerk-Recorder's Office- in San Luis Obispo at the address above or for voters living in the North County, 5th and 1st Supervisorial Districts, at our office in Atascadero- 5955 Capistrano Ave., Suite B. The office hours are 7:30-4:00.
- By faxing a written request to the county Clerk-Recorder's Office at 781-1111.
- By accessing our online forms. Click here to access Vote by Mail Ballot Request Application
- By E-mail: Julie Rodewald
Vote by mail ballots cannot be requested over the telephone. To be counted, the voted by mail ballot must be mailed in time to be received by the County Clerk-Recorder's office by 8:00 p.m. on election day or returned by the voter personally to any polling place in the county no later than 8:00 p.m. on election day.
We recommend to voters that they do not mail their ballots after the Friday prior to the election to ensure that the ballot will be received in time to be counted.
The voter may authorize a designated family member to return the voted ballot to any polling place in the county or to the County Clerk-Recorder's Office. |