Deadline for mail ballots is Oct. 28

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  

October 14, 2008                                                                CONTACT:        Marcia Ventura (562) 462-2726 or                                                                                                                                                Eileen Shea      (562) 462-2648

                                               

DEADLINE TO REQUEST VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT APPROACHING AND

 POLLING LOCATION ON BACK COVER OF SAMPLE BALLOT BOOKLET

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC) Dean Logan reported that the initial mailing of sample ballot booklets to voters for the November 4, 2008 Presidential General Election was completed this week.  “The sample ballot booklets contain important information for voters wishing to vote by mail and for voters going to their neighborhood polling place on Election Day,” said Logan.  The sample ballot includes information on the candidates, measures and voting procedures specific to each voter’s election precinct.  Additionally, an application for a Vote by Mail ballot and the voter’s polling place location and address are included in the sample ballot booklet.

REQUESTING A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT

Voters who wish to vote by mail have until Tuesday, October 28 to request a Vote by Mail ballot for the November 4 election.  Registered voters who would like to obtain a Vote by Mail ballot must submit a written request containing their name, residence address and address to which the ballot is to be mailed.  The signature of each person requesting a Vote by Mail ballot is required in order to verify the legitimacy of the person who is applying for a ballot.  Vote by Mail ballots can be requested in one of the following ways:

• Completing the Vote by Mail application on the back cover of the official sample ballot booklet sent by the RR/CC to each registered voter;

• Sending a letter addressed to the RR/CC, Vote by Mail Section, P.O. Box 30450, Los Angeles, CA 90030-0450;

•  Accessing the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net and clicking on the Apply for Vote by Mail Ballot  in the Online Services box on the main page of the website and filling out a Vote by Mail application online; or

• Applying in person at the RR/CC Headquarters, 12400 Imperial Hwy., 3rd Floor, Room 3002, Norwalk, CA 90650.

 

If a voter has applied for a Vote by Mail ballot and has not received it within a week after submitting an application, the voter should call the RR/CC at 1 (800) 815-2666.  The range of remedies available to the voter includes 1) requesting a replacement Vote by Mail ballot; 2) voting at the RR/CC Headquarters through Election Day; or 3) going to the voter’s designated neighborhood polling place to vote on Election Day.

In order to be counted, ballots cast by mail must either be returned in person to the RR/CC Office, delivered to any Los Angeles County polling place on Election Day during polling hours (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.), or mailed within sufficient time for delivery to the RR/CC by 8 p.m. on November 4 (postmarks are not acceptable).  Additionally, the voter may authorize a designated family member to return the voted ballot to a polling place or to the RR/CC in accordance with the procedures outlined on the Vote by Mail ballot return envelope.

Under special circumstances, a voter may request an emergency Vote by Mail ballot from October 29 through November 4, by applying in person or

sending a designee to the RR/CC Headquarters, 12400 Imperial Hwy., 3rd Floor, Room 3002, Norwalk.  Additional information regarding this service or

any questions regarding Voting by Mail can be obtained by calling the RR/CC Vote by Mail Section at (562) 466-1323, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

weekdays, or online at www.lavote.net.

 

VOTERS GOING TO THE POLLING PLACE TO VOTE

Voters going to their polling place to vote on Election Day are advised to check the back cover of their sample ballot booklet for the correct location of their polling place,” reminded Logan.  “People tend to be creatures of habit.  Many voters simply go to vote where they went when they last voted without checking.”  To avoid confusion, Logan advises voters to check the back cover of the sample ballot booklet that has been mailed to every registered voter to confirm the correct location.

Voters who have misplaced their sample ballot can access both the contents and the voting location interactively on the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net

(listed under Online Services) or by calling the RR/CC at (800) 815-2666 and using the Interactive Voice Response telephone system to obtain polling

location information. 

Los Angeles County is the largest election jurisdiction in the United States and has more registered voters than 30 states.  Voter registrations are at an all

time high, breaking the record set in 2002 when registration rolls exceeded four million registered voters for the first time in Los Angeles County history.

Logan said, “These numbers signal high interest in the 2008 Presidential Election.  In anticipation of a high turnout for this election, voters are encouraged

to review their sample ballot booklets prior to arriving at the polling place to vote.  This will allow for less time spent by each voter in line and in the voting

booth.  It is also suggested that voters arrive at the polling place mid-day when lines are likely to be shorter.”

 

Further details about these services and other valuable election information can be found on the RR/CC website at www.lavote.net.

Persons requiring multilingual assistance in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, or Vietnamese, regarding information in the press release, can call (800) 481-8683.

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