How to Vote-by-Mail in Orange County

When to Expect Your Sample Ballot PamphletWe mail all pamphlets starting 40 to 21 days before the next election. You can also find it online at: ocvote.com/sample-ballot

If You Want to Vote at the PollsYou must turn in your blank Vote-by-Mail ballot and envelope at the polling place. If you do not bring your ballot, you may vote a provisional ballot at the polls.

How to Mail Your Vote-by-Mail BallotPut only your voted ballot in the envelope provided. Fill in your home address and sign and date the envelope. Your signature on the envelope must compare with the signature on your voter registration record. Note: You cannot use a power of attorney.

If you cannot sign:• Make an “X” while someone watches. That person must print your name near your “X”, and sign.• You may use a signature stamp ONLY if you already filled out a voter registration at the

Registrar of Voters’ office (or through the DMV), and you used that stamp to sign your name.

What to Do if You Make a Mistake or Lose Your BallotIf you make a mistake, cross out the error and make your new choice. If your original ballot is lost, spoiled or damaged, call us at (714) 567-7600 or visit ocvote.com/replacement

How to Turn in Your Vote-by-Mail BallotReturn your voted ballot in the envelope provided:

• By mail* (see postage requirements below):1 page ballot (double-sided) = 47¢ 3 page ballot (double-sided) = 68¢ or 2 first class stamps2 page ballot (double-sided) = 47¢ 4 page ballot (double-sided) = 68¢ or 2 first class stamps

• At any Orange County polling place on Election Day by 8:00 p.m.; or• At the Registrar of Voters’ office (1300 South Grand Ave, Bldg C, Santa Ana, CA 92705), no later than 8:00 p.m. Election Day.

*Important! Your mailed, voted ballot will be processed if the envelope is signed, dated and postmarked on or before Election Day, and is received no later than three days after Election Day.

If you are unable to return your ballot, use your vote-by-mail envelope to authorize one of these people to return it for you: Spouse, child or parent, grandparent or grandchild, brother or sister, or someone who lives with you. You must state how the person returning the envelope is related to you.

Important! If you drop off your voted Vote-by-Mail ballot, a poll worker will check the envelope to make sure it’s filled out correctly.

Important! If you return your voted Vote-by-Mail ballot without a signature on or before Election Day, you will be sent an “Unsigned Ballot Statement.” This statement must be signed and returned to the Registrar of Voters’ office no later than eight days after the election for the ballot to be counted.

If you do not bring your ballot, you may vote a provisional ballot at the polls.

Important! We cannot count your Vote-by-Mail ballot if: • Your ballot arrived late • You did not sign the envelope, or someone turned in your ballot without your signed authorization • Your signature on your envelope does not compare to the signature on your voter registration record

If you do not want anyone to see your signature, you may put the sealed envelope inside another envelope to mail back to us. Learn more about voting by mail at: ocvote.com/mail

Neal Kelley, Orange County Registrar of Voters | 1300 South Grand Ave., Bldg. C, Santa Ana, CA 92705 | 714.567.7600

After you’ve returned your ballot — we’ve included

an “I Voted” sticker for you!

Marking Your BallotUse black or blue ink – do not use pencil – to completely fill in the box to the left of your choice.

Fill in box like this

Not like this or this

How to Mark Your Vote-by-Mail Ballot and Keep It Private!

No extra marks, please! No

numbers, no drawings, and no initials (even

if you make a mistake.)

Leave this box

empty, unless you want to vote for a qualified write-in

candidate.

Use a blue or

black pen. Do not use

pencil.

Do not write or

sign your name on the ballot or make any extra marks

on the ballot.

How to Mark Your Vote-by-Mail BallotUse a BLUE or BLACK pen to mark the box to the left of your choice. Do not use pencil or colored ink. Important! Fill in the box completely. Do not make other marks on your ballot.

To vote for a:

• Measure – Fill in the box to the left of Yes or No.• Candidate – Fill in the box to the left of the candidate’s name.• Write-in candidate – Fill in the box next to the line where you wrote the person’s name.

(If a candidate’s name is already on the ballot, check the box to the left of the name. Do not write it in.)

We can still count your ballot if it has extra marks, but your vote may no longer be private. (California Elections Code sections 13204, 14287, 15154, and 15208). If you make a mistake or your ballot is damaged, get another ballot. Call (714) 567-7600, or visit ocvote.com/replacement