Warning #1:

Monday, October 10, begins the mandatory Ballot Mailing period. Not later than Friday the 14th, your ballot must be in the mail to you.

• If you have wisely signed up for ballot tracking, watch for a notice that your ballot has entered the USPS.

• If your ballot does not arrive within a reasonable period of time (no more than 5 days after mailing), DO NOT WAIT:
  • Call your county elections office and report your ballot missing.

  • Request they cancel your original and mail you a new one.

  • They will likely suggest you wait another few days; politely refuse and repeat your desire for a new ballot. (If someone has stolen your ballot, that person can vote and return your ballot while you wait patiently for “a few more days”. With California’s very weak signature verification regulations, that ballot will likely be accepted and credited to you. At that point it’s too late.)

• Once your ballot arrives, open it, inspect it and then store it in a safe place you will not forget. Remember you may need to surrender it when the polls open and you go to vote in person!

Warning #2:

• You have been redistricted. Avoid ballot shock when you see unfamiliar candidates on your ballot, or think one is missing.

• Before reporting that you got the “wrong ballot”, be sure you know what your new districts are.
  • Check the maps at https://www.wedrawthelinesca.org/final_maps.

  • Check your registration at your county elections office website—information on every one of your districts will be provided.

Warning #3:

The race for U.S. Senator is a bit complex this year, and it might help to shed a little light on what you’ll be seeing.

When California Senator Kamala Harris became U.S. Vice President, she vacated her Senate seat and it was Governor Newsom’s responsibility to appoint someone to serve as interim Senator until the next regular electoral cycle (the 2022 Midterms). Alex Padilla has been serving in that interim role.

That interim appointment terminates as of the date of certification of the 2022 election, December 7, 2022.

Californians must elect someone to serve from the date of election certification through January 3, 2023, when the new term begins. That is Senate race #1 (United States Senator—Partial/Unexpired Term).

Senate race #2 is to elect a Senator to serve the six-year term that begins January 4, 2023 (United States Senator—Full Term).

They are two distinct races, and voters may vote in BOTH races.

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