SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—With just one week until election day, Santa Cruz County voters still have plenty of options of what to do with their completed ballot.
It’s important to know that it is not necessary to mark every section. Leaving an option blank—or even marking only one—will not invalidate your ballot.
Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin says that a record number of county voters—more than 168,000—received ballots in the mail this year, joining voters across California in a first-of-its-kind effort to slow the spread of Covid-19 by allowing voting from home.
Once ballots are ready to mail, they can be dropped off in one of 15 boxes stationed throughout the county and open around the clock.
Voters can also take their ballots to the City Clerk’s offices in Watsonville and Santa Cruz, and the County Clerk’s office.
A drop-off box is also located at Simpkin’s Swim Center in Live Oak.
On Oct. 31, the county is planning to open 16 sites throughout the county, where voters can get replacement ballots, register to vote and then vote on the same day. They can also turn in their ballots at those locations.
Those who want to mail their ballot should make sure they are postmarked by Nov. 3 by going into the post office to have them stamped, Pellerin said.
Local drop box locations
Ben Lomond
• Highlands Park; 8500 Hwy. 9
Boulder Creek
• Public Library; 13390 W. Park Ave.
Felton
• Covered Bridge Park parking lot Mount Hermon/Graham Hill roads
Scotts Valley
• City Hall parking lot; 1 Civic Center Dr.
Local in-person voting locations
Boulder Creek
• Boulder Creek Recreation Hall; 13333 Middleton Ave.
Felton
• San Lorenzo Valley High School; 7105 Highway 9
Scotts Valley
• Scotts Valley Community Center; 360 Kings Village Rd.
• Scotts Valley High School; 555 Glenwood Dr.
Indoor drop off locations
- County Elections: 701 Ocean St., Room 310, Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz City Clerk: 809 Center St., Santa Cruz
- Simpkins Swim Center: 979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz
- Capitola City Clerk: 420 Capitola Ave., Capitola
- Watsonville City Clerk: 275 Main St., 4th Floor, Watsonville
- Watsonville Public Library: 275 Main St., 1st Floor, Watsonville
For a full list of voting and drop box locations, click here.
