Santa Maria Sun / News

Vote by mail

BY FRANK GONZALES

Even though polling centers won’t open for close to a month from now, the 2012 general election has already begun for some voters. Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters Joe Holland announced in a press release that vote-by-mail ballots were mailed out to voters on Oct. 3, the same day as the first 2012 presidential debate. The ballots arrived in mailboxes starting Oct. 9. This year, there will be more than 107,000 vote-by-mail ballots sent out in Santa Barbara County.

“Having people return votes by mail increases the turnout by voters,” Holland said, noting the importance of the vote-by-mail service.

He added that 70 percent of people who receive vote-by-mail ballots end up voting, compared to 55 percent of voters who don’t. Ballots must reach a polling place or the County Elections Office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 6, the day of the election.

The ballots will allow individuals to vote for the positions of president of the United States, U.S. senator, members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and state and local offices and ballot measures and propositions. To find out more about the candidates, measures, and propositions, Holland encouraged voters to refer to the state pamphlet, which was sent out by the Secretary of State’s Office. To receive a vote-by-mail ballot, people may fill out and send in the back of sample ballots, which have been mailed by the County Elections Office.

Vote-by-mail applications are also available at sbcvote.com or by calling 1-800-SBC-VOTE.

Intern Frank Gonzales compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas
to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.