FA R M L A B O R I N F O R M AT I O N B U L L E T I N
Voice of the Fields California
October 2019
FREE
Your Country, Your Voice
V
oting in local, state, and national elections ensures that issues affecting specific areas and the people affected in these communities have a voice in the final regulations that govern and influence their daily lives and future.
While some localities (such as San Francisco, California) allow non-citizen immigrants to vote in local elections (such as School Board), in the state of California only naturalized citizens and U.S. born citizens are eligible to vote. Naturalized citizens have the same voting rights as U.S. born citizens. Voting is the right and responsibility of every citizen in America, and your vote is
one of the strongest ways you can make your voice heard on the matters that may affect your life. Your vote has the power to change an entire election and shift the focus to issues that affect you and your community. Take the opportunity to make your voice heard by registering to vote in California and casting your ballot in the next election.
How to Register to Vote
By Mail Call the toll-free Voter Hotline at (800) 345-VOTE (8683) In Person n Pick up a voter registration application at: • Any Department of Motor Vehicles office. • Most post offices, public libraries, and government offices. • Request an application from your county elections office. Find the office nearest to you by going online at: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/votingresources/county-elections-offices/ Online n Go to: www.registertovote.ca.gov • Select your “Language Preference” • Click “Register to Vote Now” and complete the application n
Additional Voter Registtration Information • If you think you are already registered to vote, check here at: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov • Frequent questions can be found at www.sos.cagov/elections/frequently-asked-questions/ or by calling the Secretary of State’s Voter Hotline at (800) 345-8683.
Volume 29, Number 10
How To Vote By Mail
If you are registered to vote, a voter information guide is mailed to you by your county elections official prior to every election. The voter information guide contains a vote-by-mail application that you can fill out to receive your ballot by mail. n You can also visit or write to your county elections officials for a vote-by-mail application. Use this link for more information on your county’s election office: www.sos.ca.gov/ elections/voting-resources/ county-elections-offices/ n Your application must be received at least 7 days prior to Election Day. n Return your vote-by-mail ballot by: • Mailing it to your county elections official. (Use the above link.) • Returning it in person to a polling place. • Dropping it off at one of your county’s ballot boxes, or • Authorizing someone to return the ballot on your behalf. n
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