Haven’t voted yet? Here’s where to drop off your ballot in SLO County
Election Day is Tuesday, and less than 20% of registered voters in San Luis Obispo County had returned their ballots as of Monday.
Fortunately, voting is easier than ever, and there are three different ways for you to submit your ballot by Nov. 8.
The first is simply returning your ballot by mail. If you vote this way, make sure your ballot is postmarked by Tuesday.
According to state law, every registered voter in California must receive a mail-in ballot, and the SLO County Election’s Office sent ballots to all registered voters on Oct. 10.
If you haven’t received your ballot yet, it’s not too late to get one. You can track your ballot at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov, and you can also reach out to the County Elections Office with questions.
Another option is to drop off your mail-in ballot at the SLO County Clerk-Recorder’s Offices in downtown SLO or Atascadero, or at one of the county’s drop boxes. Find a list of the those certified drop boxes at www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Clerk-Recorder/All-Services/Elections-and-Voting/Where-to-Vote.aspx.
Finally, on Election Day, you can drop off your mail-in ballot or vote with a provisional ballot at your polling place. Your polling place is listed on your mail-in ballot.
Be sure to complete your ballot with a pencil or a pen with blue or black ink; don’t use a pen with light-colored ink.
Ballots submitted before Election Day will be counted before election night, and then included in the election night tally. Ballots received by the office in the mail after Election Day are counted later, which can take weeks depending on volume.
County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano encouraged voters to return their ballots as soon as possible to be included in that Election Night count.
“Voters just need to know that they shouldn’t delay, vote today,” Cano said.
