A Guide to the 2020 Election for First-Time Voters
Infographic by Carolyn Burt (The Corsair/2020)
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, the United States will take part in a pivotal general election, featuring presidential, Senate, House of Representatives, gubernatorial, and local races, as well as a variety of state-specific propositions.
Amidst a pandemic, a particularly scrappy presidential election, and a full ballot, it can be daunting for new members of the electorate to get involved in the political atmosphere. Perhaps now more than ever, the future of the nation rests on the involvement, or lack thereof of the United States’ new pool of voters.
Between California's new mail-in initiatives, registration, absentee ballot laws, and in-person voting, there are a number of deadlines of which voters should be aware.
Voter registration must be postmarked or submitted online no later than Oct. 19 in California. Every registered voter in California will receive a mail-in ballot that can be completed at home and mailed with no in-person action required.
In a normal election, most states limit mail-in voting, and request that those who want to exercise this service apply for an absentee ballot. These types of ballots are accessible to voters who are out of the country for the duration of the election window, have an illness or disability, are working on election day, or fall under a number of other limited categories. Due to widespread COVID-19 lockdowns, this election will feature at-home voting to a higher degree than ever before, and consequently, absentee and mail-in ballots are largely interchangeable. In future elections, should mail-in voting be rolled back, those who wish to vote from home will have to do so via an absentee ballot.
While the California deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Oct. 27, California has required that counties send mail-in ballots to the homes of all residents by Oct. 5. Voters do not need to request a mail-in ballot; they will be sent to the address on their registration by default.
Mail-in ballots can be returned postage-free via any United States Postal Service (USPS) mailbox, or dropped off at any of the 400+ secure Drop Boxes placed around Los Angeles County. Voters are required to place their voted ballot cards inside the official return envelope, securely seal the envelope, and sign and date the envelope.
For those who want to vote in-person, select Los Angeles County voting centers will open on Oct. 24., and all remaining locations will begin operations on Oct. 30. Early voters in Los Angeles can also cast their ballot starting on Oct. 5 at the Registrars Headquarters. Voting centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the early voting period, and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Due to COVID-19, in-person voters will be required to wear facial coverings and gloves, which will be provided if need be. They will also be asked to keep a distance of six feet from one another, in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
First-time voters may be asked to show some type of government-issued identification. Acceptable forms include a driver's license, passport, utility bill, or sample ballot. Voters can bring any notes, pre-filled sample ballots, or information they deem necessary to expedite their voting process.
