Voter Guide: California 2018 primary election

Capitol Alert

A procrastinator's guide to California's primary election

June 04, 2018 01:37 PM

‘It has to be tackled’: Top governor candidates on affordable housing

Some of California's top candidates for governor, including Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa, Amanda Renteria and Travis Allen, talk about the need for affordable housing in California and their strategies for achieving the goal.

Up Next

California's primary election is heading to the finish line, with polls closing tonight at 8 p.m. Stay with us at sacbee.com to keep an eye on the action and live results as they pour in.
New voting procedures in Sacramento County led to plenty of confusion. Polling places were replaced this year by voting centers, which opened today at 7 a.m.
Many people attempted to vote in the same way they have in the past. Some voters showed up to the McKinley Library drop-off location five hours before it opened at noon, with many believing it was still a polling place.
Voting procedures were business as usual in other local counties, including Yolo, Placer and El Dorado.
We'll have live results here at sacbee.com shortly after polls close tonight at 8.
If you're still cramming or holding out until the very last minute to vote, here is The Sacramento Bee voting guide and here are our editorial board's endorsements.

Want more information on those running for governor and U.S. Senate? Trying to figure out that heated battle for Sacramento County district attorney? Keep reading.

Already voted and want our cheat sheet on what to watch for? Check it out here. Where should you go for comprehensive results when the polls close after 8 p.m Tuesday? That's easy: http://www.sacbee.com

Get to know the gubernatorial candidates in video:

Democrat Gavin Newsom

Democratic Gavin Newsom started off his political career on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Now he's running for governor.

Republican John Cox

The attorney, accountant and businessman from Chicago, a "Jack Kemp-style" Republican, has set his sights on California's governorship.

Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was a labor organizer, oversaw the state Assembly and now wants to be governor of California.

Democrat John Chiang

State Treasurer John Chiang has risen through the hierarchy of California's financial offices. Now, the Democrat wants to be governor.

Republican Travis Allen

Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Huntington Beach Republican and provocative conservative voice in the Legislature, announced on June 22, 2017, that he is running for California governor.

Democrat Delaine Eastin

She was the state's first female Superintendent of Public Instruction. Now, she wants to be governor.

U.S. Senate coverage:
‘I’m all in,’ California Sen. Dianne Feinstein says on re-election bid
Kevin de León formally launches bid to unseat Sen. Dianne Feinstein
No Democratic endorsement for Dianne Feinstein in sixth U.S. Senate campaign
Is Dianne Feinstein too old to run for re-election?
He announced a run for Feinstein’s seat. Then a harassment scandal broke under his roof.
Mendoza's gone, but Capitol culture still an open question for de León's U.S. Senate race
‘She represents California, not Arkansas.’ Feinstein’s rival presses her on immigration
'Medicare at 55' now on Dianne Feinstein's agenda

Sacramento County District Attorney election:

Rough and tumble DA's race in home stretch

Retired judges back Schubert in Sacramento DA's race

'Understand the power of your vote:' Stephon Clark's family, black leaders make appeal ahead of Election Day

DA candidate Phillips 'embarrassed,' apologizes for response to sexist, racist email

Phillips wants DA's office off of ‘secret deal’ murder case

DA candidate Phillips called sexist, racist email 'work appropriate … appropriate anywhere'

Ad Watch: Schubert’s ad claims against challenger are ‘iffy’

DA candidate Phillips lands Sen. Kamala Harris' endorsement

Judge wants proof of Phillips' 'secret deal' in murder trial

DA vs. Noah Phillips: Office files motion against prosecutor running for DA seat

"We've got some healing to do." New Phillips ad sounds social justice themes

'She protects us': New ad touts break in East Area Rapist case

How and where can I vote?

1. Find out if you're registered by checking the Secretary of State's website.

If you are not registered, there's still a chance. You can register conditionally through Election Day by visiting your county's election office, or in Sacramento County, one of 78 voting centers.

2. If you didn't receive one in the mail, it's too late to request one. But you can get one at your county elections office, or at a voting center in Sacramento County. Sacramento, Madera, Napa, Nevada and San Mateo counties are testing a new voting system, and voters there automatically received ballots in the mail, while the rest of the state's voters had to request a vote-by-mail ballot in advance. In these five counties, the traditional neighborhood polling places will be replaced with voting centers.

3. California voters can mail in ballots, as long as they are postmarked on or before Tuesday and are received no later than three days after election day. Remember to seal the envelope and affix the required postage. Be sure to sign the return envelope or it can not be counted. If you don't have the proper postage the ballot will still be delivered but the bill for insufficient postage will go to your county of residence, according to U.S. Postal Service officials.

Here is county-by-county information for voting:

Sacramento County: Again, Sacramento County residents are part of a trial system that involves voting centers and drop-off boxes instead of traditional polling places. If you live in Sacramento County and go to the polling place you've always gone to, it probably is not open. You must go to a voting center instead. 78 voting centers will be open, all offering conditional voter registration, in-person voting, replacement of vote-by-mail ballots and voting assistance. County residents can go to any voting center in the county to vote or drop off a ballot.

If you can't find a voting center, go to the county Voter Registration and Elections office at 7000 65th Street, Suite A in Sacramento.

There also are numerous drop-off locations in the county, including many public libraries,that accept ballots. Go the the county website for a list.

For more information, call 916-875-6451.

Sacramento County’s new voting system sends ballots through the mail to every registered voter. Here's how you vote after you get your ballot.

Placer County: Voters should have received a sample ballot pamphlet containing information about candidates and ballot measures. The pamphlet also will show residents the location of their neighborhood polling place for the June 5 election. You also can find the location of your polling place on the county's elections Office web site.

Voters can take advantage of early voting at the county's elections office at 2956 Richardson Drive in Auburn. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.

Voters also can vote by mail, if they received a vote-by-mail ballot. These ballots can be returned by mail, in person, or at a 24-hour drive-up drop-off box located at the Placer County Office of Elections or at any polling place in Placer County from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.

Voters who haven't registered yet can get conditional voter registration at the elections office through June 5.

For more information, call the Placer County Office of Elections at (530) 886-5650 or toll free in California at (800) 824-8683.

El Dorado County: Residents can vote by mail, drop off ballots at the county elections office, 2850 Fairlane Court in Placerville, or at the satellite office in South Lake Tahoe, 3368 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, Suite 108, on or before June 5. Regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The offices will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.

Voters also can apply for conditional voter registration at either office.

Residents who prefer to vote in person can go to the county web site to look up the location of their polling place.

For more information, call the elections office in Placerville at (530) 621-7480 or, from El Dorado Hills, (916) 358-3555, ext. 7480. The South Lake Tahoe office can be reached at (530) 573-7955, ext. 7480.

Yolo County: Voters can vote by mail or drop off ballots at the elections office at 625 Court St. No. B-05 in Woodland. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 5.

Residents can apply for conditional voter registration at the elections office, but they can not register to vote at neighborhood polling places.

The Woodland Public Library, Arthur F. Turner Community Library in West Sacramento, Mary L. Stephens Library in Davis, Winters Community Library and Esparto Regional Library are serving as drop-off points until noon June 4. For information about the hours of each library go to www.cityofwoodland.org/library for the Woodland Public Library, and www.yolocountylibrary.org for the four Yolo County sites.

To find your polling place go to www.yoloelections.org/voting/polling_place. Polling places will offer sample ballots and other informational materials, paper ballots and provisional voting. Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.

For more information from Yolo County elections, visit www.yoloelections.org or call (530) 666-8133.