Your Guide to Voting in Oxnard This November
Every election, I talk to people in District 1 who wanted to vote but got tripped up somewhere along the way: a ballot that arrived during a busy week, a question about whether their registration was still current, uncertainty about where to go on Election Day. That’s why I want to make sure District 1 voters have the information they need before Election Day arrives.
Voting here is actually easier than most people expect, and I would rather you spend your time thinking about the choices in front of you than the paperwork. Here is what you need to know.
Register to Vote
Not registered yet?
You have until October 19, 15 days before Election Day, to register or check your registration status online. It only takes a few minutes, and once you’re registered, your ballot will be mailed to you automatically.
If you miss that date, don’t you worry, California allows same day registration in person at the County Elections Office or any Vote Center, all the way through Election Day. It just works a little differently: your registration and your vote are both handled on the spot, and the county confirms your eligibility afterward, during the standard canvass period, before that vote is counted.
A quick word of caution: stick to official .gov sites, like the one linked above, when you register or check your status. Some private registration ads circulating online collect far more personal information than they let on. If a site asks for your information but is not run by a government agency, think twice before entering anything.
Your Ballot
Every active registered voter in California is mailed a ballot automatically, no request necessary, and this year’s ballots go out starting October 5. If yours has not shown up by mid-October, or if it gets lost or damaged, you can request a replacement by contacting the Elections Division at (805) 654-2664, or simply asking for one at any Vote Center once they open.
Before you fill anything out, it is worth taking a few minutes to look up your sample ballot, which shows every local race and measure specific to your address, so nothing on Election Day catches you off guard.
When you are ready to return it, you have three options: mail it back, postmarked by November 3 and received within seven days still counts, drop it at an official ballot drop box, open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day, or turn it in at any Vote Center. Once it is on its way, you can track it the same way you would track a package to make sure it arrived and was counted.
Voting in Person
Ventura County runs under the Voter’s Choice Act, so you are not tied to a single assigned polling place. You can vote at any Vote Center in the county, on any day it is open, whichever is closest to your home, your work or wherever your day takes you. Some open 11 days before Election Day and most others open four days before, but all of them are open on Election Day itself from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and every one offers same day registration, replacement ballots, accessible ballot marking devices, curbside voting and language assistance. Find your nearest Vote Center before the day gets away from you.
Make Your Voice Heard
None of this matters unless you take the first step, so don’t let a question about registration or a missing address keep you from making your voice heard. I hope you’ll cast your ballot on November 3, and if you’re willing to stick with me for one more term, I’d be honored to keep showing up for District 1 and getting to work.
— Bert
Make sure you’re registered, make your voting plan, and I hope I can count on your vote November 3:
