Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Assistant Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
(Redwood City, CA) San Mateo County Chief Elections Officer Mark Church announced that the 10-day public review period for local ballot measures and local candidate filing documents for the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election will open at 5 p.m. on December 6, 2019. The public review period gives voters an opportunity to review and challenge the language of candidate filing documents, measures, arguments and impartial analyses before they are published in the Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet.
This review period is the first of four separate public review periods that occur in relation to the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election. All review periods will begin at 5 p.m. on their respective opening date. Documents filed with the Registration & Elections Division will be available for review at www.smcacre.org/elections under Current Election.
Public Review Period Schedules
December 6 – December 16
For candidate statements and ballot measures filed by the filing deadline of December 6 at 5 p.m., the public review period ends on December 16 at 5 p.m.
December 11 – December 21
For candidate statements from candidates who filed during the extended candidate filing period closing on December 11 at 5 p.m., the 10-day review period ends on December 21 at 5 p.m.
December 13 – December 23
Primary arguments for and against ballot measures.
December 23 – January 2
Rebuttal arguments for and against primary arguments and impartial analyses for each ballot measure.
During each 10-day public review period, registered voters, in a contest for which they are eligible to vote, may seek a judicial writ of mandate or injunction requiring any or all of the materials to be amended or deleted. The request for writ of mandate or injunction shall be filed no later than the end of the review period.
School and Special District candidate filing documents, measures, arguments and impartial analyses will be available for in-person review Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at:
Registration & Elections Division
Office of the Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
County of San Mateo
40 Tower Road
San Mateo, CA 94402
City candidate and measure documents will be available for in-person review at each city’s City Clerk’s Office. Please contact your City Clerk’s Office for more information.
All-Mailed Ballot – Vote Center Election Model for March 3, 2020 Election
The March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election will be the fourth election San Mateo County conducts under the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) model. It is the first Presidential Primary Election to be held under the VCA.
Traditional polling places have been replaced by Vote Centers, which will be open for voting for a greater period, and which will offer expanded voter services including voter registration, multilingual assistance, and disabled access voting options. Every registered voter will also receive a Vote by Mail Ballot, which can be returned with no postage required in any mailbox, ballot drop box or vote center located throughout the county.
For more information, call 650.312.5222, visit www.smcacre.org or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smcvote.