Body of News Release
San Rafael, CA – Election Day is near, and voters in the March Presidential Primary Election will be interested in the first returns on election night. For Marin County voters, the place to bookmark is the Marin County Election Department results webpage. The first returns will be posted shortly after 8 PM Tuesday, March 5.
The first report will include ballots from vote centers cast during the early voting period and vote-by-mail ballots counted to that point. As ballots are returned from vote centers and counted throughout the night at the Civic Center, results will be updated about every 60 minutes.
Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts said February 26 that so far the Marin turnout is almost 12%.
“We expect a lot of vote-by-mail ballots to start coming in now that we are closer to the election,” Roberts said. “Voters need to make sure their ballot counts by getting it in the mail several days before Election Day, so it is postmarked on time. I can’t stress this point strongly enough: Don’t wait. We often can’t count a ballot because it isn’t postmarked by Election Day, or we receive the ballot after the seven-day grace period.”
Instead of mailing, voters may drop their ballot at one of several official drop boxes located throughout the county or at any vote center before 8 PM on Election Day. Again, Roberts encourages voters not to wait until the last minute to return their ballot since vote centers and drop boxes close precisely at 8 PM on election night. The list of locations is printed in the voter information guide and is posted at www.marinvotes.org.
Voters can track their ballot by signing up for Where’s My Ballot on the Secretary of State’s website. This is a free service.
Vote-by-mail ballots dropped off at vote centers and official ballot drop boxes in the days just prior to Election Day will be processed following the election. Roberts reminds voters to sign the postage-paid return envelope so ballots can be processed quickly. But if voters forget to sign, the Elections Department will send a letter with instructions for fixing the problem. Voters will also receive a letter if a signature does not compare to the signature on their voter registration card.
A voter unable to return their vote-by-mail ballot may designate someone to return it for them by filling out the form on the back of the return envelope. “I strongly encourage voters to only designate someone they know and trust,” Roberts said.
Marin voters may call (415) 473-6456 with questions or concerns.
If you’re not sure you are registered to vote but plan to vote in this election, check the voter status portal on the Secretary of State’s website, or call (415) 473-6456.
Follow the Elections Department on Facebook.