Process Beginning Tuesday, April 23
April 19, 2019

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

(Redwood City, CA) At 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, authorized staff of the San Mateo county Registration & Elections Division will begin to open and process returned Vote by Mail ballots for the May 7, 2019 La Honda Road Territory Transfer Special Mail Ballot Election. Election officials may open the return envelopes containing voted mail ballots beginning ten (10) business days before Election Day. This process will continue daily thereafter from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or until all ballots are processed for the day through the Official Canvass.   

For each ballot, an election official will compare the voter’s signature on the outside of the return envelope to the signature on the voter’s original registration application or other updated signature on file.  

The ballot is separated from the return envelope to preserve secrecy. The return envelope is saved for the mandatory retention period and the ballot is digitally scanned. The voting marks captured in the scanning system’s memory will not be tabulated (counted) or reported until the close of voting at 8 p.m. on Election Day.  

Those interested in observing the process may come to the Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road, San Mateo at any time or make prior arrangements by contacting Elections Supervisor Michael Lui at 650.312.5238 or mlui@smcacre.org. Observers will receive a copy of the Election Observer Program Guidelines which specifies observer rights, responsibilities and limitations, and a copy of the Vote by Mail processing procedures.  

The last day for registered voters to request a ballot to be mailed to them for the May 7, 2019 La Honda Road Territory Transfer Special Mail Ballot Election is Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Your voted mail ballot can be returned in one of the following ways: 

  • Mail your ballot in the postage-paid return envelope. Ballots must be postmarked by May 7 and received by the Registration & Elections Division no later than May 10 
  • Drop off your ballot at our 24-hour Ballot Drop Box at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo by 8 p.m. on Election Day 
  • Drop off your ballot at our Vote Center at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo during business hours before Election Day or from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day 

Voters are encouraged to use the “My Election Info” tool on smcacre.org to confirm registration status, political party and view or print PDF and accessible versions of the Official Voter Information Guide. The website tool allows voters to track and confirm when ballot materials were mailed and when the Registration & Elections Division received their voted ballot.

For more information on the May 7, 2019 La Honda Road Territory Transfer Special Mail Ballot Election, please call 650.312.5222, visit www.smcacre.org or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smcvote. 

Related Contacts

Mark Church

Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988

Jim Irizarry

Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Asst. Chief Elections Officer
555 County Center
Redwood City, CA 94063-1665Get Directions
Phone:
650.363.4988