Building Healthy Communities from the Ground up

How to Vote Safely in 2020 – A People’s Guide

Together we rise. Our voices, our votes. 

This year, our lives are on the ballot. This election is a critical moment for low-income and communities of color to raise our voices and vote together for our collective health and well-being.

Led by organizers and community leaders from across the state, we created guides with  county-specific details where CEJA members are building grassroots power to rise together. Don’t see your county below? Find more information at this link.

This year, there will be new ways to vote: whether you return your ballot securely after voting from home, or vote safely in person at your official vote location in your county, remember to vote early and return your ballots as soon as possible!

Share the How to Vote Safely Guide using sample social media materials today!


 

 


Vote Today! — Remember to vote early and return your ballots as soon as possible!  
  • Make sure you check that your voter status and registration is accurate. Now is the time to request materials in your preferred language!
  • If you need to register to vote, online voter registration ends October 19th. If you miss the cut-off date, don’t worry – you can still register to vote on the same day as you vote!
  • Every active registered voter has received their election materials as early as October 5th. 
  • You can return your ballot in 4 secure ways:  
    • by mail, no stamps needed 
    • at an official ballot dropbox 
    • at your official vote location
    • at your county’s Department of Elections
  • Every ballot has a unique ballot ID number. Sign up for alerts to monitor your ballot’s progress as your vote is counted alongside millions of other Californians.
  • If you have been displaced by wildfire evacuation or are not at your registered address, you can find more information here.

Vote In-Person! — In most counties beginning Saturday October 31st through Election Day, November 3rd — Vote as early as possible to avoid long lines!

  • Check the location of your vote center – pick a day and time to vote!
  • You can register in person the same day as you vote.
  • COVID-19 safety measures will be respected at all vote centers. Voting stations will be regularly sanitized and all election workers will wear personal protective equipment. If you’re planning to cast your ballot in person, remember to wear a clean face cover and social distance.
  • You have a right to request two hours of paid time off to cast your ballot. Find out your full Voter Bill of Rights here.
  • On Election Day, it’s your right to vote so long as you get in line by 8 PM and stay in line!
  • Across California, election materials and voting support available at voting centers may include: Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, Gujarati, Hindi, Hmong, Ilocano, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mien, Mongolian, Nepali, Punjabi, Spanish, Syriac, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Find in language support to vote by calling an election protection hotline:

866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for assistance in English.

888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) for assistance in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean,

Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, and Tagalog.

888-Ve-Y-Vota (888-839-8682) NALEO Educational Fund toll-free bilingual English-Spanish hotline.