San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Elections Department is co-hosting an online event Thursday, March 10, to share information about the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA), which will be in place for the June 7 Statewide Primary Election. The California Secretary of State, Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., is the other event host.
A major change under the VCA is a switch from Election Day polling places to multi-day, regional vote centers at locations around the county. Also, every registered voter will be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot packet starting 29 days before an election — a change most Marin voters won’t notice because of the high rate of vote-by-mail voters, now more than 80%.
Late last year, Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts said the Elections staff finalized an Election Administration Plan as required in the VCA implementation process, the Secretary of State’s office recently approved the plan. That plan is to serve as a guide for updated elections procedures and assure that voters know about the changes well in advance. Having regional locations open for more days should serve as an added convenience for voters wanting or needing in-person services from elections staff.
The Voter’s Choice Act of 2016, also called Senate Bill 450, allowed several pilot counties to conduct elections starting in 2018 according to the new model. All counties became eligible to make the change in 2020. The Marin County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution May 2021 confirming plans to implement VCA.
The webinar starts at 11 a.m. March 10, and advance registration is required via the registrar’s website, www.marinvotes.org. The event will be livestreamed on the Secretary of State’s Facebook page and shared on the Marin County Elections Department Facebook page afterward. Anyone may learn more about the local election process or check voter registration status on the website as well.
For disability accommodations, please phone (415) 473-6358 (voice), CA Relay 711, or e-mail the Elections staff in advance of the event. The County will do its best to fulfill requests received with less than five business days’ notice. Copies of documents are available in alternative formats, upon request.