Voting in person at polling places is only one of many choices in the upcoming election.
VOTE IN PERSON:
L.A. County has only one voting center in Pacific Palisades: the small gym at the Palisades Recreation Center, 851 Alma Real Dr. It will open this Friday and remain open through Election Day. Daily hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Ballots may be dropped off, if you don’t want to wait in line to vote in person.
The closing voting center to the Palisades is located at the National Typewriter Company, 1666 Euclid St. in Santa Monica. The center opened October 24 and the hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. through November 2 and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
VOTE BY MAIL:
No postage is necessary if you drop off your ballot at the post office. If your ballot is postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days of the election, the L.A. County Registrar’s office will process, verify and count the ballot.
It’s easy to track the ballot. My daughter, who voted absentee last week, went to “where’s my ballot?” (a free service) and learned her ballot had been processed by U.S. Mail and had been received by the Registrar. (Visit: Where’s my ballot.)
BALLOT DROP BOXES:
Drop Boxes are available through Election Day at 8 p.m., but the only one in Pacific Palisades is at 861 Alma Real in front of the Palisades Library.
Circling the News wrote to Michael Sanchez of the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder’s office with questions about these boxes for mail-in ballots. There are 123 citywide, including 11 in Mike Bonin’s Council District 11.
On September 14, Sanchez wrote: “Vote by Mail Drop Boxes will be available beginning October 5–the same day we begin mailing ballots.
“They are scheduled to get picked up every 72 hours, then 48, then 24 as we get closer to Election Day,” Sanchez said. “The majority of drop boxes will be available 24/7, however, some boxes will have varying hours and those hours will be published on our website.”
The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk is in direct communication with law enforcement agencies, cities, local stakeholders and community-based organizations to monitor and safeguard all boxes
Voters are reminded to:
- Place your voted ballot card(s) inside the Official Return Envelope
- Securely seal the Official Return Envelope
- Sign and date the back of the Official Return Envelope
To check if your vote was received and tallied, use the “Vote by Mail Status Tool” at vote count.
The good news is there have been no lines to vote so far. Also, entry is via the back entrance to the small gym.