Placer County Elections Office
2956 Richardson Drive
PO Box 5278
Auburn, CA 95604
Phone: (530) 886-5650
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- Who Can Apply for a Vote by Mail Ballot?
- Temporary Mailing Address Change or Ballot Re-issue Request
- Last Day to Request a Vote by Mail Ballot to be Mailed to You
- Returning Your Vote by Mail Ballot
- Military and Overseas Voters
- Vote by Mail Voting and the Decline to State Voter in a Primary Election
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who Can Apply For A Vote by Mail Ballot? (Election Code Sec. 3003)
Pursuant to AB 2608, every active registered voter will receive a vote by mail ballot. Vote by mail allows individuals to vote without going to a polling place on Election Day. Vote by mail ballots are mailed out beginning 29 days prior to an election. Ballots may be returned by mail, in person, or at any polling place, vote center or vote by mail drop-off location in California.
Temporary Mailing Address Change or Ballot Re-issue Request
If you want your ballot to be mailed to an address different than the mailing address on your voter record for just one election or need a new ballot reissued to you, choose an option below. Please note, voters may only request up to two replacement ballots.
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- Call the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in CA 1-800-824-8683 for more information on a one-time mailing address request.
- Download and print the Replacement Vote by Mail Ballot Application for the current election.
- Submit a written request to the Elections Office. Written requests must include your full name, date of birth, the name and date of the election you are requesting a ballot for, your Placer County residence address, the mailing address you wish the ballot to be sent to (if different from your residence address), a telephone number (optional), and your signature. Please include the following statement with your written request: “By requesting a replacement vote-by-mail ballot, I hereby certify that I did not receive a vote-by-mail ballot for this election, or if I did receive a ballot, that ballot has been lost or destroyed. I certify under penalty of perjury that the information I have provided is true and correct.”
- Request a replacement ballot in person at the Elections Office located at 2956 Richardson Dr, Auburn, CA 95603. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For added convenience the Placer County Elections Office may be open on weekends prior to an election. Contact the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California 1-800-824-8683 for election specific hours or check under Current Elections from the home page for special weekend hours.
All requests should be sent to:
Placer County Elections Office
PO Box 5278
Auburn, CA 95604
Last Day To Request A Vote by Mail Ballot To Be Mailed To You
The last day, by law, to request a vote by mail ballot is 7 days prior to an election. If it is less than 7 days prior to an election, you may visit the Elections Office in person and request a ballot over the counter or contact our office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683 for more information as we may be able to deliver a ballot to you if feasible.
Returning Your Vote By Mail Ballot
Voted vote by mail ballots may be returned by mail, in person, or at any polling place, vote center or vote by mail drop-off location in California. Voted ballots must be received by the Elections Office no later than 8:00 PM on Election Day, or received up to 7 days after Election Day if postmarked on or before Election Day. Consider mailing your ballot back early. For your convenience, we have various types of ballot drop-off locations in the county, including 24-hour boxes. Look for our early ballot drop off sites in your Voter Information Guide on our website under “Where to Vote” or call our office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683 for more information. If you are unable to return your voted ballot yourself, you may authorize a representative to deliver the ballot for you. Be sure to sign the return envelope for your voted ballot or your ballot cannot be counted.
Military and Overseas Voters
Definition of UOCAVA (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act) voters: Citizens who are members of the Uniformed Services, Merchant Marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the family members of the above and overseas citizens. Uniformed Services are defined as the U.S. Armed Forces, (Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force), Merchant Marine, commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, and the National Oceanic, and Atmospheric Administration and family members of all the above. Overseas citizens are defined as citizens who reside outside the United States.
If you have any questions regarding this process, please contact our office directly at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Placer County contact information can also be found at the nonpartisan Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) website. Their website address is www.overseasvotefoundation.org. OVF’s website features a complete election official directory for all fifty states and United States territories. More information can be found at www.fvap.gov.
For more information about military and overseas voting, click here.
Vote by Mail Voting and the Decline to State Voter in a Primary Election:
California currently uses a Modified-Closed Primary which allows cross-over voting for Unaffiliated or No Party Preference voters during a Presidential Primary Election. The Presidential Primary Election is the only election in which your political affiliation affects the ballot you receive. Because of this, prior to every Presidential Primary Election the Placer County Elections Office will send a letter to all unaffiliated vote by mail voters informing them of the parties that permit “cross-over” voting. The letter contains a list of available “cross-over” party ballots along with the option to choose a party ballot for that election. You may use one of the following methods to request the ballot of another party by:
- telephone to the Placer County Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683
- a written statement application submitted in person, or by mail, email, or facsimile transmission.
Frequently Asked Questions: Vote by Mail Voting
- What is Vote by Mail voting and how does it work?
- Do I have to request a Vote by Mail ballot for every election?
- Can someone else pick up my Vote by Mail ballot?
- When are Vote by Mail ballots mailed out?
- What if I am a Vote by Mail voter and move?
- What if my ballot does not arrive in the mail?
- What if I am out of town when my ballot is mailed? How do I vote?
- I am currently out of the country and the mail is slow. Can I apply for a Vote by Mail ballot earlier than the designated 29 days prior to an election?
- How do I vote using a Vote by Mail ballot?
- What if I make a mistake on my Vote by Mail ballot? Can I get a new one?
- As a Vote by Mail voter, how will I receive information about candidates and measures?
- During a Primary Election, how are no party preference (non-partisan) Vote by Mail voters notified of which political parties will allow voting or partisan candidates?
- When should I return my voted Vote by Mail ballot?
- What should I do if I think the Elections Office may not receive my voted ballot in time by mail?
- What if my ballot becomes lost or damaged?
- Can I still vote at a polling place if I am a Vote by Mail voter?
- I’m in a Mail Ballot Precinct, why?
- Do you count all of the ballots that arrive by mail?
- How can the Elections Office be sure the ballot I return belongs to me?
- Where can I find more information on Vote by Mail voting?
What is Vote by Mail voting and how does it work?
Vote by mail voting allows registered voters to cast a ballot without going to a polling place on Election Day. Every active registered voter will be issued a vote by mail ballot to the address listed on the request beginning 29 days prior to Election Day. Once the vote by mail by mail ballot is complete, it may be returned by mail, in person, or at any polling place, vote center or vote by mail drop-off location in California. See tab “Where to Vote” for more information.
For added convenience the Placer County Elections Office may be open on weekends prior to an election. Contact the Elections Office for election specific hours. Vote by Mail ballots may also be submitted at any polling place in Placer County from 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Election Day.
Do I have to request a Vote by Mail ballot for every election?
As of September 27, 2021, voters do not have to request a vote by mail ballot for each election. Pursuant to AB 2608, every active registered voter will receive a vote by mail ballot before each scheduled election that they are applicable for. Elections Code 3000.5 states that no later than 29 days before the day of the election, the elections official shall begin mailing a ballot to each registered voter. However, the distribution of vote by mail ballots to all registered voters does not prevent a voter from voting in person at a polling place, vote center, or other authorized location.
Can someone else pick up my Vote by Mail ballot?
Yes. A replacement ballot can be issued to an authorized representative by: 1) The voter submitting a receipt of statement under penalty of perjury that the voter has failed to receive, lost, or destroyed their original ballot; 2) The voter completes a written request, signed under penalty of perjury, requesting that a ballot be provided to their representative; and 3) The authorized representative signs an acknowledgment of receipt of the ballot.
When are Vote by Mail ballots mailed out?
By law vote by mail ballots are mailed to voters beginning 29 days prior to an election. Ballots are mailed continuously up until 7 days prior to Election Day. Vote by mail voters may also choose to vote at the Placer County Elections Office from 29 days prior to an election and up until 8:00 P.M. on Election Day.
What if I am a Vote by Mail voter and move?
By law, election mail (including ballots and Voter Information Guides) cannot be forwarded. You will need to re-register to vote to continue receiving a vote by mail ballot at your new address. Your ballot will be sent to the mailing address currently listed in your voter file before every election in which you are eligible to vote. If you move or change your mailing address and do not update your contact information, your ballot will be returned to the Elections Office as undeliverable. Contact the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683 to confirm that you are currently registered.
What if my Vote by Mail ballot does not arrive in the mail?
Contact the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683 to confirm that you are currently registered and the date your ballot was mailed out. If necessary, a replacement ballot can be issued by sending a written request to our office or coming into our office. Please click here to access the Replacement Vote by Mail Ballot Application.
What if I am out of town when the Vote by Mail ballots are mailed? How do I vote?
You may request information on having a ballot to be sent to a temporary mailing address by contacting the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683. Vote the ballot once it has arrived, sign the return ballot envelope where indicated and return it in the mail to the Elections Office with the envelope provided. Additionally, a voter may access Remote Accessible Vote by Mail. To ensure voter’s privacy, the remote accessible vote by mail system does not store or transmit selections over the internet, instead the ballot is printed and returned by mail or by hand. For more information on the Remote Accessible Vote by Mail, please click here. For the ballot to be counted, voted ballots must be received by the Elections Office no later than 8:00 PM on Election Day, or received up to 7 days after Election Day if postmarked on or before Election Day.
I am currently out of the country and the mail is slow. Can I apply for a Vote by Mail ballot earlier than the designated 29 days prior to an election?
You may apply for and receive a vote by mail ballot earlier than 29 days if you are eligible for the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) program. Under California Election Code EC300 (b) a military or overseas voter is described as an elector absent from the county in which he or she is otherwise eligible to vote who is any of the following:
- A member of the armed forces of the United States or any auxiliary branch thereof.
- A citizen of the United States temporarily living outside of the territorial limits of the United States or the District of Columbia.
- An individual serving on a merchant vessel documented under the laws of the United States.
- A spouse or dependent of a member of the armed forces or any auxiliary branch thereof.
To learn more, visit our website at Military and Overseas Voters or contact the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683.
How do I vote using a Vote by Mail ballot?
To successfully complete a vote by mail ballot, you must:
- Follow the directions included with your vote by mail ballot.
- Use a black or dark blue ink pen and completely fill in the oval next to the candidate or measure on which you are voting.
- Place your voted ballot in the return envelope provided, sign the envelope, and mail it to the Elections Office for processing.
- Be sure that your signature and address are on the return envelope. Ballots without a signature on the return envelope cannot be counted.
For the ballot to be counted, voted ballots must be received by the Elections Office no later than 8:00 PM on Election Day, or received up to 7 days after Election Day if postmarked on or before Election Day. Be sure to mail your ballot back early!
What if I make a mistake on my Vote by Mail ballot? Can I get a new one?
Yes. According to California Election Code 14288, voters are eligible to receive up to two (2) replacement ballots during an election. Replacement ballots are available by request through the Placer County Elections Office. You may receive a replacement ballot by mail, at the Placer County Elections Office or your designated polling place on Election Day. Please note, replacement ballots are mailed up until seven days prior to Election Day.
For more information on how to request a replacement ballot or find out the location of your polling place contact the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683. The Elections Office is located at 2956 Richardson Drive, Auburn, CA 95603.
As a Vote by Mail voter, how will I receive information about candidates and measures?
You will be mailed a Voter Information Guide for all local candidates and measures. In a statewide election, every household will receive a Voter Information Guide with information about State propositions and candidates. To learn more visit our website at Current Election and/or the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ca.gov for more information on candidates and measures.
During a Primary Election, how are no party preference (non-partisan) Vote by Mail voters notified of which political parties will allow voting for partisan candidates?
The Elections Office will send a letter to all no party preference, vote by mail voters informing them of the parties that permit “cross-over” voting. The letter contains a form for no party preference voters to complete in order to request the ballot for one of those political parties. Additionally, a voter may make this request by calling our office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683, or by a written statement application submitted in person, or by mail, email, or facsimile transmission.
Voters may also visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ca.gov for more information.
When should I return my voted Vote by Mail ballot?
Vote by mail ballots submitted in person must be received by the Elections Office prior to the close of polls, 8:00 PM on Election Day. For the November 8, 2022 General Election, ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day and receive within 7 days of the Election. Be sure to mail your voted ballot back early!
What should I do if I think the Elections Office may not receive my voted ballot in time by mail?
You may return your ballot in person, to any polling place, vote center or vote by mail drop-off location in California. See tab “Where to Vote” for more information.
If you have mailed or misplaced your ballot you may vote provisionally at your designated polling place in Placer County on Election Day. For more information visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website relating to Provisional voting or contact the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683.
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What if my ballot becomes lost or damaged?
Call the Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free within California at 1-800-824-8683 for more information on a replacement ballot. If it is too late for us to send you a replacement in the mail, you may pick one up at the Placer County Elections Office. The Elections Office is located at 2956 Richardson Drive, Auburn, CA 95603. Regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For added convenience the Placer County Elections Office may be open on weekends prior to an election. Contact the Elections Office for election specific hours.
Can I still vote at a polling place if I am a Vote by Mail voter?
Yes. To vote at a polling place, you must first surrender your vote by mail ballot in the return envelope to the poll worker before receiving a poll ballot.
If you are unable to surrender your vote by mail ballot at the polling place, you may vote a provisional ballot. The provisional ballot will be reviewed by the Elections Office to determine eligibility and to make sure the original vote by mail ballot has not already been returned.
I’m in a Mail Ballot Precinct, why?
Voters may be required to vote by mail if their precinct has fewer than 250 registered voters on the 88th day prior to an election and is declared to be a “Mail Ballot Precinct” by the Elections Office. Notification is mailed to voters prior to each election to advise that they live in a Mail Ballot precinct. Voters who live in a Mail Ballot precinct may vote in person at the Elections Office located at 2956 Richardson Drive, Auburn, CA 95603.
Do you count all of the ballots that arrive by mail?
Every returned ballot reply envelope that contains a ballot, a verifiable signature and is received prior to 8:00 PM on Election Day or has a postmark dated no later than Election Day, and is received in our office by the mail no later than 7 days after the Election Day, is counted.
How can the Elections Office be certain the ballot I return belongs to me?
According to California Election Code 3019, once your vote by mail ballot has been returned to the Elections Office, the signature on the return envelope will be compared to the signature on your Voter Registration Form or any previous affidavit of registration. If there is a match your ballot will be counted. If the signatures do not match the ballot cannot be counted. However, our office may attempt to contact you directly for verification. A new Voter Registration Form will be mailed out to you so that we may obtain your current signature for future elections.
If a signature was not provided on the return envelope containing your ballot, it may be mailed back to you for signature or (depending on the proximity of the election) our office may attempt to contact you directly for verification.
Where can I find more information on Vote by Mail voting?
To find out more about voting by mail, contact the Placer County Elections Office at 530-886-5650 or toll free in California at 1-800-824-8683.
