The first of the 183 styles of Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlets will be mailed to the 337,889 voters of San Mateo County beginning on Thursday, Sept. 23, the first legal day to mail the pamphlets and concluding approximately 10 business days later. That’s the amount of time it takes to mail out all versions of the pamphlet to voters in the County.
Voters may also view or download and print a copy of their Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Pamphlet from the Elections web site, www.shapethefuture.org by choosing the Check My Registration/Election Information button on the homepage.
The Federal Voting Rights Act ensures that all voters have language accessible election information. Voters who prefer Chinese or Spanish language election materials may request them at the time they register to vote or at anytime thereafter. All voters receive a copy of the pamphlet in English, regardless of the language they select.
In this election, 183 different combinations of ballots and sample ballot pamphlets are being published. These sample ballot styles are due to the variety of combinations of jurisdictions, languages, and the requirement to shuffle the order of candidate names as they appear on the ballot in federal contests.
The Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Guide helps to educate voters by publishing voluntarily submitted candidate statements, ballot measures and related arguments and rebuttals, relevant voting information and voting resources. It is mailed to every registered voter. Visually impaired voters may request a copy of the county’s Sample Ballot & Official Voter Information Guide on audiotape by calling 650.312.5222.
In the upcoming November election, the ballot includes contests for: U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, California State Assembly and Senate candidates, and the California constitutional offices of Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Controller, Treasurer, Insurance Commissioner, Board of Equalization and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The ballot also includes runoff contests for the county Board of Supervisors (Districts 3) and Treasurer-Tax Collector and contests for six (6) municipalities and five (5) school districts, three (3) special districts. There are nine (9) statewide propositions, two (2) countywide ballot measures and twelve (12) measures placed on the ballot for several cities and school districts.
