Choose a category below:
Click on a question to open and read its answer.
In 2021, the law changed. Now all voters will be mailed a ballot for every election
You do not need to sign up. All voters will be mailed a ballot for every election.
Yes you can go to any voter center in Marin County. See our List of Vote Center locations for days and hours of operation.
We mail vote by mail ballots 29 days before the election.
If you do not receive your ballot within 2 weeks, You can:
You can vote as soon as you receive your ballot. Vote your ballot, put it in the return envelope, sign the envelope, and then drop it in the mailbox, in an official drop box, or at any vote center.
We mail election materials to all voters starting 29 days before the election.
You will receive a:
No! Vote by mail ballots cannot be forwarded.
Fill out a new registration form with your updated information at least 15 days before the election.
Yes. You can:
We must receive your the Replacement Vote By Mail Ballot Application 7 days before the election (mail can take 5-7 days within Marin County). After seven days you can:
You can: Draw a straight line completely through the incorrect vote and the oval. Then fill in the oval for the correct vote and write "correct" next to the correct vote.
Do not sign or initial next to the error.
—OR—
Place your ballot in the return envelope sent with you ballot. Sign and date the outside of the return envelope.
You can:
For Statewide Elections you can also:
By Mail:
By Drop Box:
In person to any voter center in Marin County:
We will send you a letter. You have until 2 days before the election is certified to fix the issue. If you do not respond, your ballot will not be counted.
Yes, you can:
We follow these steps:
Ballots are scanned on digital scanners. All equipment used for counting has gone through Federal and State certification. We test all machines are counting correctly before each election.
After the ballots have been processed, we:
The first results at 8 pm on Election Day include vote by mail ballots counted so far and early voting from the vote centers. By Election Day, we usually count all vote by mail ballots received by the Friday before the election. Any remaining ballots or those received on Election Day and ballots received in the mail during the 7-day grace period are counted within a week or two of the election.
Any voter with a ballot that has been challenged due to missing signature or the signature does not match has until 2 days before the election is certified to fix the issue to have their ballot counted. We have 28 days to certify an election, but usually certify before the deadline.
Call 415-473-6456, if you have any questions.
All voters will be mailed a ballot for every election.
If you want, you can vote a ballot in person at a vote center. See our List of Vote Center Locations for days and hours of operation.
At the vote center you will check-in and be given a ballot to vote there.
Just let an election worker know what kind of help you need.
They can:
You must show ID if:
You can still vote. The election worker will give you a Conditional Voter Registration form and a ballot. Your ballot will be counted when we confirm you are eligible to vote in Marin County and did not already vote in the election.
The most common reasons are:
Contact the Elections Department 28 days after the election.
Check if you are registered to vote in Marin County by using our Voter Information Portal (VIP).
Use the California Secretary of State’s My Voter Status page.
Anyone who meet all the requirements below is qualified to register to vote:
You can register to vote any time. The registration deadline is 15 days before the election. Your registration must be received by the Elections Department or postmarked by that day or before.
You should register as soon as possible so that you get your voter guide in the mail. f you register later than 29 days before an election, you may not get your voter guide.
14 days prior to an election through Election Day by 8 p.m., you may register and vote at any vote center within Marin County. See our List of Vote Center locations for days and hours of operation.
You can register online at the CA Secretary of State website.
You must fill out a paper voter registration form, sign it, and return it by mail or in person to the Marin County Elections Department.
We will send you a letter and ask you to provide the missing information.
When we get the required information, you will be registered to vote.
If there is a problem with your ID information, the Secretary of State will let us know. You will be given a chance to correct your information.
If your information has not been confirmed in time for Election Day, you can go to the Elections Department or any vote center in Marin County. See our List of Vote Center locations for days and hours of operation.
If you —
If we do not have your current home or mailing address, you will not receive your ballot. The Post Office does not forward election mail.
You can still register to vote. Write the address of a shelter or the cross streets of where you sleep on your voter registration form.
You must provide a mailing address.
If mail we send to a voter is returned undeliverable, the voter will be moved to the inactive list. We send a notice to inform the voter that they have been moved to the inactive list. Voters that do not respond and do not vote in two General Elections (even years) in a row, will be cancelled.
Inactive voters must respond to the notice, contact the Elections Department or vote a Provisional ballot to become an Active voter.
Yes. A voter can be moved to the Inactive List or have their registration cancelled.
Inactive Voters:
If mail we send to a voter is returned undeliverable, the voter will be moved to the inactive list. We send a notice to inform the voter that they have been moved to the inactive list.
Inactive voters will not receive election materials and their name is not on the roster at vote centers.
Cancelled Voters:
A voter can be cancelled for the following reasons:
Cancelled voters must re-register or vote a Conditional Voter Registration (CVR) ballot to become an Active voter.
Yes. Fill out and return the Registration Cancellation Form.
You must re-register to vote.
Yes. The Elections’ Office will send the form to the correct county.
No. Filling in the “Qualifications” section of the registration form and signing the form is considered proof.
Voter data is classified as “Restricted Public Data”. Voter data can be given to the voter themself or purchased by anyone that meets one of the valid classifications below:
The voter’s:
None, you can only get information about yourself.
Yes. The Secretary of State has a program for victims of domestic abuse. Contact the Elections Office or the Secretary of State’s Safe at Home program for information.
Others may obtain a court order to make their voter registration confidential. Contact the Elections Office for information.
Confidential voters’ information is not given to any individuals and does not appear on any list at vote centers.
Yes, but they must provide a description on the form of where they live, such as cross streets, or routes, so that we can assign them to a precinct for voting. They must also provide a mailing address to receive election maill.
Only if their business address is also their residence.
Yes. New citizens may register and vote at the Elections Office from 14 days before the election to 8pm on election day.
No, the Post Office does not forward election mail. Voters must re-register at their new address to receive election mail.
Yes, the voter may register and vote at any vote center within Marin County. See our List of Vote Center locations for days and hours of operation.
The difference is the return address on the mailing portion of the form.
All vote centers are accessible or mitigated to provide accessibility.
Policies and Procedures for Selecting Vote Centers
Vote the ballot that was mailed to you.
A voter can vote at any Vote Center in Marin County. See our List of Vote Center Locations for days and hours of operation.
For voters who cannot get into the Vote Center. An election worker can bring a ballot to your car outside a vote center. After you vote, the election worker will put your voted ballot in the ballot box.
Voters may request to use the Remote Accessible Vote by Mail (RAVBM) system by signing up as described on RAVBM page.
Yes, all voters will be mailed a ballot for every election. You do not need to sign up.
In addition, voters may request to use the Remote Accessible Vote by Mail (RAVBM) system by signing up as described on RAVBM page.
Marin Access was designed and is sponsored by Marin Transit to coordinate transportation resources for older adults, persons with disabilities, low-income residents, and others who cannot or choose not to drive.
Each Vote Center has:
The Secretary of State has a TDD hotline: TDD 800-833-8683.
All state propositions are available on audio tape. Call us if you want one: 415-473-6456 or go to the Secretary of State's website.
We will point out the instructions in the voting booth. We can show you how to mark your ballot using a demonstration ballot. Some vote centers have bilingual election workers. Let us know if a vote center needs bilingual election workers.
File a completed Candidate Application Form online or at the Elections Department. After receiving your application, we will check your qualification to run for that contest. Once approved you will receive your documents by email or while at our office.
If a filing fee is required for that contest, you must submit your payment prior to receiving your documents.
Yes. Although it is not required, appointments are a good idea especially if you are new to the process. Call 415-473-6437 to schedule an appointment.
No, you must contact the City/Town clerk for nomination documents, manuals, and filing information.
Primary election contests: The Candidate Guide is published roughly two (2) months before to the nomination period.
General election contests: The Candidate Guide is published roughly one (1) month before to the nomination period.
Primary election contests: Candidates may apply roughly two (2) months before to the nomination period.
General election contests: Candidates may apply roughly one (1) month before to the nomination period.
Check the Important Dates section of the Candidate Guide on the Election Schedule page for exact dates.
It depends on the office you are seeking. Check the Offices Open section of the Candidate Guide, which can be found on the Election Schedule page.
It is an optional way to let the voters know about you. For details about the format and costs check the Candidate Nomination Papers section of the Candidate Guide on the Election Schedule page.
Yes there are rules. Whether flyers, yard signs, or internet ads, candidates are responsible to know and adhere to all campaign finance rules. Visit the Fair Political Practices Commission’s (FPPC) website for rules and campaign finance information.
Yes, there are special rules and fillings for state and judicial candidates. This information is in FPPC Manual 1 on the FPPC website.
Once the filing period has opened the Elections Home Page will have a link to the List of candidates that have taken papers for filing. The list will be updated daily.
An independent expenditure is any money raised or spent for or against a local candidate or measure by a person or committee not related to a candidate or measure committee.
To ensure transparency about donors, donations, and spending for or against local candidates or measures not connected to a candidate or measure committee.
Ordinance 3519 was approved by the Marin County Board of Supervisors on June 2, 2009.
Any person or committee that makes independent expenditures for or against local candidates or measures.
The committees must complete the Independent expenditure committees filing forms. You must also include a copy of the mailing or advertisement, script or recording of phone call, transmission, or advertisement.
Within 24 hours after the expenditure is made.
Return the forms by one of the following ways:
Anyone who violates any section of Chapter II, intentional or not, shall be subject to fines of $5000 for each violation, or up to 3 times the amount of the message, whichever is greater.