Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Assistant Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

(Redwood City, CA) February 25, 2020, is the final day that registered voters may request a replacement Vote by Mail ballot to be delivered by mail for the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election. The deadline ensures that there is enough time for postal delivery. After February 25, all requests for a replacement Vote by Mail ballot must be made in person at one of San Mateo County’s Vote Centers.

As a Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) County, all registered voters in San Mateo County received a ballot in the mail starting February 3, 2020. ““Voting by mail provides voters with a convenient alternative to voting at a busy Vote Center on Election Day,” said Mark Church, San Mateo County’s Chief Elections Officer and Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder.

To Request a Replacement Vote by Mail Ballot
Registered voters may still request a Vote by Mail ballot on February 25 by using any one of four request options:

• Submit your request online through the request form that can be accessed by clicking the “My Election Info” button at www.smcvote.org.
• Request a one-time Vote by Mail ballot over the phone by calling the Registration & Elections Division at 650.312.5222.
• Complete the application form on the back cover of your Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet and fax it to 650.312.5348 or email it to registrar@smcacre.org.
• Prepare a written request, with your signature, stating your full name, residence address, mailing address (if different from your residence address), date of birth, and the name and date of the election for which the Vote by Mail ballot is requested (March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary Election). Fax or email the request to the Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402. Fax to 650.312.5348 or email registrar@smcacre.org.

To Request a Vote by Mail Ballot After February 25, 2020
All requests for a Vote by Mail ballot after February 25, 2020 must be made in person at any of the county’s Vote Centers. Vote Center locations and hours are available at www.smcvote.org or call/text 650.312.5222 for information.

Returning Your Voted Ballot
You may mail in your voted ballot to the Registration & Elections Division, or you may deliver it in person to any Vote Center or City or Town Hall in the County.

24-Hour Outdoor Official Ballot Drop Boxes
Ten 24-hour drop boxes are available throughout the county for voters to drop off their ballots. Outdoor Drop Boxes are available in Belmont, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Pescadero, Redwood City, San Mateo, and South San Francisco. For a full list of all Drop Box locations, visit www.smcvote.org or call/text 650.312.5222 for information.

Voted Mail Ballot Deadline
To be counted, voted mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, March 3, 2020, and received no later than Friday, March 6, 2020.

All-Mailed Ballot – Vote Center Election Model for the March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary 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 an extended 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 voters can return with no postage required in any mailbox or into secure county ballot drop boxes located throughout the county.

For more information, call 650.312.5222, visit www.smcacre.org, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smcvote.