Absentee Voting

The Process of Voting Absentee

Voting by mail is the same as voting by absentee ballot.  Rather than go to the polls to cast a ballot on Election Day, you may request an absentee ballot, which you will fill out and return to your elections official.  You don't need a reason to vote by mail.  Any registered voter may apply for an absentee ballot.

To vote an absentee ballot, a voter needs to submit a completed application or letter to the county elections official between 29 days and 7 days before the election.  The application or letter must contain the voter's name as registered, the registered voter address, the address to which the absentee ballot should be sent if different than the registered voter address, the name and date of the election for which the applicant wants the mail-in ballot, and the voter's signature.

Once the application is processed by the county elections official, the proper ballot type/style will be sent to the voter.  You must then cast your ballot and insert it in the envelope provided for this purpose, making sure you complete all required information on the envelope.  Although you sign the outer envelope in order to establish your eligibility to vote, your absentee ballot will be separated from the envelope prior to counting the ballots so that there is no way to violate your confidential vote.  You may mail back your voted absentee ballot, return it in person to a polling place or elections office within your county on election day, or, under certain conditions, authorize a legally-allowable third party (relative) to return the ballot on your behalf - but regardless of how the ballot is returned, it MUST be received by the county elections office by the time the polls close (8:00 p.m.) on election day.  Late-arriving absentee ballots are not counted.

You can now VOTE BY MAIL on a permanent basis:
AB1520 eliminated all restrictions to be a Permanent Absent Voter.  You can now vote by mail on a permanent basis by completing a Permanent Absentee Voter* form OR by checking the Permanent Absentee Voter box on the application provided with your Sample Ballot.

*NOTE:  Permanent Absentee Voter forms are available in the City Clerk's Office, 221 W. Pine Street, Lodi, and the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Office, 212 N. San Joaquin Street, Stockton.