Election materials on the way for the California Primary Election

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Voters throughout the Central Coast are about to receive their first materials for the California Primary.

With a March 3rd Primary Election set, the first round of election materials from Central Coast Registrar of Voters offices have gone to the post office and will soon be in your mailbox.   

Expect to see the Voter Information Guides in the next few days from your area and also from the state. 

The guides will include candidate statements, information on Presidential crossover voting, updating your registration, voting by mail and voting at the polls.

It will tell you where to vote in person or how to vote by mail.   

Going through the voter information guide and a sample ballot prior to voting helps to speed up the process.

What is in the County Voter Information Guide (CVIG)?

The County of Santa Barbara has released this information:

A sample ballot – this can be used by the voter to mark their vote choices before they go to their polling place. Then the voter can take the sample ballot with them to mark their Official Ballot. This speeds up the voting process and helps reduce long lines on Election Day.

Information specific to the voter’s ballot – this includes candidates’ statements of qualifications and local measure information; and instructions and information on voting for President, crossover voting, updating their registration, voting by mail and voting at the polls.

The voter’s polling place location – This is printed on the back cover of the CVIG.

An application to vote by mail – The application is on the back cover of the CVIG.

Vote by Mail ballots will be mailed to voters and be available at County Elections offices listed below starting February 3, 2020:

Santa Barbara – 4440-A Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93110

Lompoc – 401 E. Cypress Ave, Room 102, Lompoc, CA 93436

Santa Maria – 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Suite 134, Santa Maria, CA 93455

Holland also wants to remind voters of the following:

• Election Day is Tuesday, March 3, 2020;
• This is a partisan election - Voters registered to vote with a political party, can ONLY vote for that party’s presidential candidates at the primary election.
• Voters that are registered as No Party Preference can request to vote for one of these parties’ presidential candidates in the primary:
  • American Independent Party
  • Democratic Party
  • Libertarian Party

Voters who have already requested a vote by mail ballot and/or a crossover ballot, do not need to reapply.  If a voter receives a ballot and chooses to change their party, they should contact the Elections Office for their options.

Though there are many lookups available on third party websites, to ensure correct information is provided, Holland encourages voters to contact his office directly for information on polling place locations, or if there is any question as to why they are receiving a Vote by Mail ballot.

Voter Information Line: 1-800-SBC-VOTE (1-800-722-8683)

County Elections website: sbcvote.com  

(More information on this story and video will be added here later today.)