Election 2024: Vote centers now open across Southern California

FILE PHOTO (REUTERS/Paul Ratje)

LOS ANGELES – Several vote centers have opened across Southern California for residents to cast their ballots in the Nov. 5 election.

Early voting has already been under way, with residents able to return their ballots by mail or at drop boxes, but beginning Saturday, 122 vote center locations in Los Angeles County will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

More than 100 vote centers opened across Los Angeles County, 38 in Orange County, 39 in San Diego County and 20 in Riverside County on Saturday.

Vote center locations in Los Angeles County can be found here, while centers throughout California can be found at
caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov.

Residents can visit any vote center, regardless of where they live in the county. People can cast their vote in person at the centers, or drop off their mail-in ballot.

On Nov. 2, all 648 vote centers across LA County will open, also operating from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

On Nov. 5, the vote centers will all be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“The ballot in this election is extensive and includes contests and candidates from the neighborhood and local levels through state offices, measures, and federal representatives,” according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office. “Voters are encouraged to review their ballots carefully and vote early.”

Residents who missed the registration deadline for the election but still want to vote can visit a vote center and complete a conditional voter registration form and cast a ballot. The ballot will be held until the voter’s eligibility is confirmed.

In San Diego County, more than 200 locations will be open during the same hours through Nov. 4.

Vote centers have replaced polling places and provide multiple services, such as allowing for in-person voting or dropping off ballots, voting using an accessible ballot marking device, receiving assistance in multiple languages and registering to vote or updating voter registration to vote the same day.

County staff remind the public that campaigning or electioneering within 100 feet of a vote center or official ballot drop box is illegal.

For people who still want to register to vote, they can also visit the San Diego County Registrar of Voters’ office in Kearny Mesa to provisionally register between Saturday and Nov. 5.

Voters can check whether they are registered here.

Election materials are also available in Spanish, Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese.

Early voting has begun, with mail-in ballots already sent to every registered voter. The registrar’s office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and people can also vote early in person there.

On Nov. 5, Election Day, all vote centers and ballot drop boxes will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

A list of the locations of official ballot drop boxes and voting centers can be found here.

In Riverside County, 130 centers are slated to become available on Nov. 2, according to the Office of the Registrar of Voters.

“Voters are not assigned to a specific location and may cast their ballot at any available vote center,” the agency said. “Eligible residents can also register to vote or update their registration at a vote center.”

Volunteers and registrar’s staff will be on hand to assist at each location.

There are roughly 1.4 million residents currently on county voter rolls. To date, 249,999 mail-in ballots have been received for the Nov. 5 general election, officials said on Friday.

“For voters who wish to return their vote-by-mail ballots at a drop box location, the registrar has 106 official ballot drop-off locations throughout the county,” the agency stated.

A complete list of vote centers, their locations and hours of operation, as well as where to find ballot drop boxes, is available at voteinfo.net.