Action #1. How do I choose what and who to vote for?
Click here for our VOTING GUIDE. It will show you what organizations like the Sierra Club, labor groups, Democrats, progressive physicians and others believe to be the best choices for our future.
This is not a test and you can leave items blank. Just do your best.
Vote for the future. Yours, and the world your children and grandchildren will inherit.
Action #2 – Check that you’re actually registered.
A lot of people aren’t sure. No problem. If you’re a resident of Ventura County, check here. If you live elsewhere, go here.
If you ARE REGISTERED – YAY! Go on to step #3.
If you aren’t…don’t panic. Your voice is important. Go to step #10
Action #3 – Confirm your polling place.
POLLING PLACES MOVE TOO!!! At the primaries in Ventura County, a lot of people just showed up at their usual polling place, only to discover that they had been moved to a new one. They were given a choice of either voting provisionally, or driving to their new polling location.
Not sure where your polling place is?
Check your sample ballot or click here. (This system is a tad touchy. Put just your address # in the top blank, and the NAME of your street, but NOT the word”street”, drive, “road” “circle” or whatever, in the bottom blank. Click on the auto-display of your street name. Yes, it’s lame, but it works.)
Action #4 – How are you going to get to your polling place?
If you’re going to drive, ask your neighbors if anyone needs a ride. You are most likely going to the same place. If you’re willing, put out a notice on your local NextDoor page.
If you need a ride: First, talk to your neighbors and see if you can carpool.
Uber is partnering with Democracy Works and #VoteTogether to provide promo codes for free rides to voters across the U.S. on Nov. 6. Riders will be able to look up their designated voting location by entering their home address into the app.
Go to “Uber Drives the Vote” here for instructions. Don’t have a smartphone? Have a friend schedule the ride on their phone.
Ridesharing competitor Lyft announced back in August it would also offer free and discounted rides to the polls on Nov. 6. Organizations including Vote.org and TurboVote will help distribute nationwide 50% off codes for the Lyft app. And Lyft will also provide free rides through nonpartisan, nonprofit partners such as Voto Latino to help members of underserved communities who historically have had a harder time getting to the polls.
Action #5 – Do I need to bring an ID?
If you’ve voted in California before, you don’t need to show ID.
However, if you’re a first-time voter who didn’t include your driver’s license number, California ID number, or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number on your registration form, you may be asked to provide ID when you vote. Acceptable forms include a current and valid photo ID, or copies of the following:
- current utility bill,
- bank statement,
- government check,
- paycheck
- other government document that shows your name and address.
If you are unable to provide ID, you will be still be able to vote a with a provisional ballot.
Action #6 – Can I bring signs, hats or clothing to support my favorite candidates or propositions to the polls?
No. No one will be allowed within 100 feet of a polling place with any clothing or signs with slogans or emblems for any candidate or proposition that is featured in the ballot.
Nobody is allowed to talk to you about your voting choices within that same distance either.
Action #7 – Can I vote if I was convicted of a felony?
Yes. If you’re not currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony.
Action #8 – What if the poll workers can’t find my name in their roster?
If you are actually registered (see Action #2), but your polling place doesn’t have the correct information to determine that fact, or there is conflicting information about your registration, you will be given a provisional ballot on Election Day. You will be allowed to vote, given a tracking number to follow your ballot and YOUR VOTE WILL BE COUNTED, just like any other.
Issues that require a provisional ballot include:
- Your name is not on the current roster.
- Your name is on the roster and but you have moved from the listed address.
- You signed up to Vote-By-Mail but you decided you’d rather vote at the polls. This is fine, BUT BRING YOUR “Vote-By-Mail” BALLOT TO SURRENDER. (giving you another ballot at the polling place would mean TWO ballots were issued to you. Despite what Trump says, we don’t issue people extra ballots.)
- Voter is marked in register as “see ID” and has no ID. (See Action #5)
- You may also be at the wrong polling place. (See Action #3 for your choices)
Action #9 – How late are the polls open?
You MUST ALREADY BE STANDING IN LINE by 8:00 pm!
At 8:00 pm exactly, a poll worker will come out and become the last person in line. All comers after that will not be allowed to vote.
Action #10 – AAUGH! I’m not registered! Am I doomed to be a non-voter?
NO, NO, NO!
Your vote is so important, CA has made it possible for you to register and vote any time up to and including Election Day. If you are unregistered, and, on Tuesday, November 6th, you are:
- a US citizen
- a resident of CA
- At least 18 years of age
- Not currently imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony
- Not found mentally incompetent by a court of law.
your polling place is the County Elections Office and your ballot will be counted when your County Elections Official verifies your voter registration. You must show in-person to take advantage of this great opportunity.
Go forth and vote!
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 