Have your frequently asked questions answered here.
Ryan Ronco, County Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters
Placer County Elections Office
2956 Richardson Drive
PO Box 5278
Auburn, CA 95604
(530) 886-5650
E-mail: [email protected]
Now that you have registered to vote, it is natural for you to have questions. Hopefully, these answers will help you. If you are not registered to vote, click here for information on Voter Registration.
What happens after I register to vote?
- In four to six weeks, you will receive in the mail a Voter Notification card. This will notify you that the Elections Office now has your registration card on file and requests that you check the information to be sure that it is correct.
- Between forty and twenty-one days before the election, the Elections Office will send you a voter information guide that will contain the information about the candidates and ballot measures on which you will vote. The address of your polling place will be shown on the back cover of the voter information guide. Also watch for the state voter information guide sent to you by the Secretary of State’s office before every June Primary and November General Election. This too contains valuable information.
- When you have read the voter information guide and/or state voter information guide carefully and you feel that you are informed on each issue and candidate, mark your sample ballot enclosed in the voter information guide. Take the sample ballot pamphlet with you into the voting booth on Election Day to save time.
How do I vote at the polls?
- The location of your polling place can be found on the back cover of your voter information guide.
- Once at the polling place you will announce your name and address to the Election Officer who will check to see if your name is on the listing. When your name and address are located, the Elections Officer will ask you to sign your name in the roster. If your name is not on the list, you may be at the wrong polling place. Check the polling place address on your voter information guide. If you are sure that you are registered and at the correct address, ask the Elections Officer to call the Elections Office to verify your registration and polling place.
- After you have signed your name in the roster, the Elections Officer will issue you an official ballot along with a secrecy sleeve and pen to mark your ballot. They will also give you instructions on how to vote the ballot and how to insert the ballot into the vote counting machine. You will then take the official ballot to a voting booth and mark your ballot by darkening in the oval beside the candidate of your choice or beside the word “Yes” or “No” if you are voting on a measure. Vote only for one candidate in each office unless the instructions on the ballot say it is ok to vote for more. Also, vote Yes or No for each measure. Be sure to vote both sides of the ballot. And please note – you do not have to vote on every candidate or issue. If you do not know how to vote on a particular candidate or issue, leave it blank. Your ballot will still be counted. To vote for a qualified write-in candidate, you must write his or her name in the blank space provided at the bottom of the appropriate office and completely darken in the oval next to his or her name. The Elections Officer will have a list of qualified write-in candidates for your reference. You may take your sample ballot and any other information that will help you make a decision while voting into the voting booth. If you feel that you need assistance, a person of your choice may be with you while you vote.
- If you make a mistake on your ballot, take it to the Elections Officer. He or she will put it into a special envelope marked “Spoiled” and will give you another ballot to vote. You may only have up to three ballots to correct mistakes.
- When you finish voting, take the ballot to the vote counting machine and insert the ballot. Return the secrecy sleeve and borrowed pen to the Elections Officer.
