BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California is less than 24 hours away from the recall election for the governor of California, and if you haven’t cast your ballot time is running out.
23ABC spoke with Kern County's Registrar of Voters about important tips for voting in this specific election.
“First of all, if they are planning to use their vote by mail ballot, it does have to be postmarked by September 14th. So, it would be a good idea if they are planning to mail it back to get it in the mail today to make sure it does get postmarked,” said Mary Bedard with the Kern County Registrar of Voters.
Bedard also said you can drop off your vote by mail ballot at the election’s office or any polling site.
“We have about 145 polling sites throughout Kern County, people are assigned to a polling site. So, their polling site is listed on the back of their sample ballot if they still have your sample ballot,” said Bedard.
If you do not have your sample ballot, you can also find the list of polling places on the Kern County elections website.
If you want to vote in person, be sure to bring your ballot.
“If they are planning to vote at the polls, they bring their mail ballot to surrender at the polls, and that way they can vote regularly,” said Bedard.
Bedard said if you lost or forgot your ballot, it may take a little longer at the polls.
“But they can still go to the polls and vote, but they would have to vote provisionally and that then gives us a chance to check and make sure they didn’t already vote their mail ballot, and then we can count their provisional ballot,” said Bedard.
If you are not yet registered to vote 23ABC, spoke with Secretary of State Shirley Weber ahead of the election, and she said there is still time.
“You can actually go the day of the elections and go to your polling place or to your polling place or to your registrar voter, you can vote, you can register, you can vote that same day. Your ballot will be probably these things provisional ballots which will be held until the end when they can verify your status and qualifications to be a registered voter in California and then your vote will be counted,” said Webber.
The polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and close at 8 p.m. and if you want your ballot to be counted, you must be in line before 8 pm.
