How to make your voice heard this election – safely
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY—The COVID-19 pandemic has altered nearly every aspect of our lives, and for many of us, this will also apply to our voting plans.
No matter your political preference, it is important to be informed on California’s election laws and how you can stay safe while making sure your voice is heard.
I know how important it is to ensure that our elections are fair and free, which is why I helped pass laws to help us accomplish these goals.
Many of you may have begun receiving text messages urging your vote for a certain measure or candidate; thanks to a bill I supported last year, AB 201, “paid for by” disclosures are now required on mass campaign text messages. This first-in-the-nation law applies to when the sender is a candidate, political party, ballot measure committee or independent expenditure.
To ensure elections are accessible to all voters, this year California joined 11 other states in allowing eligible residents to register to vote and cast a ballot at polling sites on Election Day. I was proud to support this law to help all eligible Californians to vote, and I will continue to support and fight for measures that will help shine a light on dark money in politics, ensure voters have the best information when they are at the ballot box and increase participation in our elections.
While many of us typically think of Election Day as the day to go vote, it is important to instead think of Nov. 3 as the last day you can vote as millions of Californians are voting early and through the mail. Last week, every active registered voter in our state was mailed a vote-by-mail ballot from their county as part of an effort to help voters access all of the ways they can vote safely and securely during the health crisis.
Voting options
In Contra Costa County, you can vote by visiting a traditional polling place, by mailing in your vote-by-mail ballot or by returning your vote-by-mail ballot to one of the 37 secure drop boxes serviced by the county Elections Office. These drop boxes are already open and will be available until 8 p.m. Nov. 3. You can find a complete list of all polling places and drop box locations at cocovote.us.
During our state’s March primary this year, 72 percent of votes cast came through the U.S. Postal Service. Please be assured that voting by mail is very secure, with each ballot signature reviewed and verified before the ballot is counted. Vote-by-mail drop boxes in Contra Costa are also inspected every day by the county Elections Office to ensure that there has been no damage or evidence of tampering.
Voters can follow their personal ballot through the entire process by signing up with the secretary of state to receive notifications on when the ballot is mailed, received and counted by visiting wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.
More nonpartisan information on how and where to vote, as well as voter information guides, can be found on Contra Costa’s election website listed above or on the secretary of state’s website at sos.ca.gov.
Please also do not hesitate to contact my Concord office if you have any questions or need help accessing nonpartisan voting information.
Reach Assemblyman Tim Grayson at (925) 521-1511. Visit or write the district office 2151 Salvio Street, Suite P, Concord, CA 94520