Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: David Tom, Deputy Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

Redwood City, CA –Voters who wish to receive their Vote by Mail ballot in the mail (USPS) for the November 8 Consolidated Municipal, School and Special District Election must ensure that the request is received by the Elections Office no later than Tuesday, November 1. This legal deadline is to allow for sufficient time for postal delivery to and from the voter.

After November 1, all requests must be made in person at the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo or at the Office of the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder at 555 County Center, First Floor, in Redwood City. Both offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday until Election Day. The San Mateo office will also be open on Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Voting by mail is a convenient and reliable method, and we expect more than half of all county voters to do so in this election. This is definitely a popular option here and throughout California,” stated Mark Church, San Mateo County's Chief Elections Officer and Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder.  

A request to vote by mail can be made for this election alone, or may be filed as a permanent, automatic request effective for all future elections until the voter cancels at any future time.

Voters may choose from a number of ways to make the request, including:

• Submit the request online by using the request form tool accessed via the "Check My Registration/Election Information" link at www.shapethefuture.org
• Complete the application form on the back cover of the voter's "Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet." Mail it to the address indicated, or fax it to 650.312.5348
• Print the application from www.shapethefuture.org/votingoptions/votebymail.asp and fax the completed and signed form to 650.312.5348
• Instead of the application form, prepare a written request, signed by the voter, that states the voter's full name, residence address, mailing address (if different from the residence address), date of birth, and name and date of the election for which the Vote by Mail ballot is requested. Fax it to 650.312.5348 or mail it to the San Mateo County Elections Office at 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402
• Scan the completed and signed application form or written request and attach the digital image file to an e-mail and send it to registrar@smcare.org 

Vote by Mail ballots must be physically received by the Elections Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The postmark will not make a difference. Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted. If time is running short, the voter may personally deliver the voted mail ballot on Election Day until the polls close at 8 p.m., at either of the two County Elections Office sites (in San Mateo and Redwood City) or at any open polling place in San Mateo County. Also, any city clerk's office in the county will accept voted ballots on Election Day, but only during its regular business hours.

Voters who have questions are encouraged to contact the Elections Office, either by phone (650.312.5222) or by e-mail (registrar@smcare.org) or online (www.shapethefuture.org).

The press release is displayed in its original format. San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections website now resides at www.smcacre.org