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Vote-by-mail ballots started being sent to participating San Ramon Valley voters this week, and those residents can drop off their completed ballots at three “CoCo Vote-N-Go” boxes in local municipal buildings through Election Day.
The Nov. 8 general election ballot is a crowded one for Valley voters.
It includes federal races for president, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; statewide contests for State Senate, Assembly and 17 propositions; and more localized elections such as San Ramon City Council, a Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors seat and Measure X, the countywide 0.5% transportation sales tax.
Contra Costa County election officials mailed sample ballots and voter information guides to registered voters starting two weeks ago, and on Monday they began sending out vote-by-mail ballots for those voters who signed up.
Completed and signed mail-in ballots can be returned in several ways, including at any of the 26 “CoCo Vote-N-Go” drop boxes now open across the county.
Danville has a distinctive red, white and blue drop-off box open at the Danville town offices at 510 La Gonda Way. There are two vote-by-mail drop boxes in San Ramon: in the rotunda at San Ramon City Hall at 7000 Bollinger Canyon Road and in the Dougherty Valley at the Dougherty Station Library, 17017 Bollinger Canyon Road.
“We had an overwhelming response when the program was launched for the presidential primary in June, receiving hundreds and hundreds of ballots in just a few weeks,” Danville city clerk Marie Sunseri said. “We expect to see those numbers increase tremendously as we continue to offer this service to voters.”
The three San Ramon Valley drop boxes are open during the respective building’s normal business hours through Election Day, Nov. 8. No postage is required for vote-by-mail ballots dropped off in the “CoCo Vote-N-Go” containers.
Staff members will also issue “I Voted” stickers upon request for those who drop off their ballots, according to county election officials, who said they will regularly pick up ballots collected at all 26 locations.
Eligible residents have until Oct. 24 to register to vote in this November’s general election. Registered voters can sign up to cast vote-by-mail ballots until Nov. 1.
Completed vote-by-mail ballots can also be mailed back to county election officials using the provided return envelope. Voters must attach 68 cents worth of postage when mailing their ballots, and only mail-in ballots postmarked on or before Nov. 8 will be counted.
Mail-in ballots could also be submitted, without postage, to the County Elections Office at 555 Escobar St. in Martinez during business hours through Election Day, at any regional early voting center in the days before the election or at any polling place in the county on Election Day.
Early voting is set to be offered at the San Ramon Community Center (12501 Alcosta Blvd.) Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day and Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to city officials.
On Election Day, polls across the San Ramon Valley will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To learn more about voter registration, polling locations, voting by mail, becoming a poll worker or other election information, visit the county elections website or call 335-7800.
