Sacramento County is one of five counties in California to implement the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA), expanding voting opportunities for all Sacramento County residents. You might have seen the recent news or perhaps, received a postcard in the mail explaining the changes, but if you haven’t, here’s what you need to know: Sacramento County residents can now choose when, where and how to vote.
The goal of the new voting model is to increase voter participation and expand voting opportunities for all Sacramento County residents. So what exactly is changing with the new voting model? Two major components. Beginning with the June 2018 election, all registered voters in Sacramento County will receive a ballot in the mail 29 days before Election Day. Additionally, Vote Centers will replace traditional polling places where voters will now have up to 11 days to vote in person.
Analytics indicate that more than 60 percent of registered voters in Sacramento County prefer to Vote by Mail (VBM) and that percentage increases with each election. As more and more voters are choosing this method, the new voting model reflects this growing trend by making VBM an option that every registered voter can take advantage of.
Here’s how it will work; once voters receive their ballot, they then have three choices for how to vote.
- Mail: Place the voted ballot inside the envelope provided, sign the envelope and return. Note: ballots returned by mail must be POSTMARKED on or before Election Day, June 5, 2018.
- Drop Box: Beginning with the June 2018 election, the number of Ballot Drop Box locations is tripling compared to past elections. Place the voted ballot in any of the 53 secure Drop Box locations throughout Sacramento County. A complete list of locations can be found online and will be provided in the Sacramento County Voter Information Guide that will be mailed out prior to the election.
- Vote Center: Characterized as the most innovative feature of the new voting model, Vote Centers are universal voting sites that are open for up to 11 days, including Election Day and are located throughout Sacramento County. Voters who still want to vote in person can do so at any Vote Center, on any day that the Vote Center is open. Additionally, Vote Centers will have accessible voting units, modernizing the voting process for those with disabilities.
During the month of April, the Sacramento County Department of Voter Registration and Elections will be hosting
several workshops where residents can come to learn about the available voting options and experience the new voting system technology that will be implemented with the June 2018 election.