Secretary of State urges you to vote early and don’t forget to sign your mail-in ballot

With just ten days left until the 2024 Election Day, California’s Deputy Secretary of State for Communications, Joe Kocurek, took the time to inform voters about important voting guidelines. During an event organized by minority media on October 25, Kocurek encouraged Californians to vote as early as possible.

Kocurek highlighted that voters can start casting their ballots now through various methods. These options include mailing in ballots, voting in person at polling stations, or dropping off completed and signed ballots at designated drop boxes. For those who choose to mail their ballots, Kocurek mentioned that they could track the status of their ballots online at https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/. This website also allows voters to check the current status of ballots sent to them.

For voters planning to vote in person, Kocurek directed them to find nearby polling places at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/polling-place.

He specifically reminded voters to sign the back of their mail-in ballot envelopes, as this helps election officials verify the authenticity of the ballots. He reassured voters that the envelopes for mail-in ballots are pre-paid. Any mail-in ballot postmarked by November 5 and received by November 12 will be considered valid.

Kocurek noted that those who wish to register to vote at this late stage can do so in person at polling places. However, online and mail registration deadlines have already passed.

For any questions about voting, Kocurek urged voters to contact the California voter hotline. The English hotline can be reached at 800-345-8683, and the Chinese hotline is available at 800-339-2857. These hotlines offer information on proposals and candidates in various languages, and additional language services can be found on their website: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california/voter-hotlines.

One significant challenge Kocurek mentioned is encouraging young people to participate in the voting process. Given their reliance on technology, many might not be accustomed to mailing ballots, voting in person, or using drop boxes.

Regarding language translations on ballots, Kocurek assured that the election office collaborates with translation companies and has procedures in place to ensure accuracy. However, he admitted there are occasionally complaints related to translation issues.

When discussing the election process, Kocurek explained that the counting of ballots is primarily conducted by county election offices, which guarantee the validity of the ballots. Once results are tabulated, they are reported to the state government for certification.

In closing, Kocurek urged everyone to vote early and avoid rushing at the last minute, which could lead to unforeseen complications.