By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Registrar of Voters begins special election ballot counting
• Redistricting plan is the aim of Prop 50
2024 Nov 4 voter handbook
By now registered voters have received this booklet notifying them of the Nov. 4 statewide special election. Only Prop 50 is on the ballot. It was pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and costing taxpayers $250 million. - photo by Contributed

MODESTO — With just under weeks until the Nov. 4 special election, counting of received ballots has already begun, according to Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters Donna Linder.

Linder said that ballots were mailed to voters on Oct. 6, giving them just about four weeks to fill out and return their ballot.

The sole issue this November is Proposition 50, which will determine whether to reshape California’s congressional districts to add as many as five Democrat-held seats in Congress — an offset to moves made in Texas and other red states.

The outcome of California’s special election could determine which party wins control of the closely divided House — Republicans hold a 219-213 advantage — and whether Democrats will be able to blunt President Donald Trump’s power in the second half of his term on issues from immigration to reproductive rights.

According to Linder, California’s special election was initiated just 74 days before Election Day.

“Normally, we’re given 145 days,” Linder told the Board of Supervisors. “We’ve been working diligently to get it done. We’ve been testing our equipment, getting it ready to go out to the vote centers, and our staff has been trained.”

In 2021, the state legislature passed Assembly Bill 37, which required all Californians to receive their ballot in the mail. That doesn’t mean voters must vote by mail. It simply means all voters automatically have that option. Voters can still go to a vote center and fill out a ballot and hand it to a poll worker.

Linder said only 11 vote centers will be in operation for this special election, with five opening on Oct. 25, five more on Nov. 1, and the last on Nov. 2.

Also, mail-in ballots do not have to be returned via the U.S. Postal Service. They can be delivered by hand to a drop-off site or a vote center up to 8 p.m. on election night. However, ballots dropped into the mailbox must be postmarked by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 4. Linder warned that just because a ballot is dropped into a mailbox by midnight, it might not be processed and postmarked until the next day, which would nullify that ballot.

Linder also mentioned that the envelope itself has been the subject of controversy.

“There’s been a little bit of controversy in the news about a hole in the envelope that allows your vote to be seen,” said Linder. “Every county creates their own envelopes and we do not have a hole in the middle of our envelope.”

Linder explained that the hole is there so that the visually impaired know where to sign. However, Stanislaus County’s envelope is designed with a privacy flap that sits underneath the hole — inside the envelope — to shield the contents.

“Voters in Stanislaus County don’t have to worry about that hole showing anything on their ballot,” said Linder.

The following vote centers will open Saturday, Oct. 25: Ceres American Legion Hall at 2609 Lawrence St. in Ceres, Westview Gardens Community Center at 1701 Robertson Road in Modesto, North Modesto Church of God at 1918 Sherwood Ave. in Modesto, Waterford Community Center at 540 C St. in Waterford, and the L.J. Newman Memorial Building at 649 Orestimba Road in Newman.

These vote centers will open on Saturday, Nov. 1: Turlock Public Library (Hilmar Cheese Co. Community Room) at 550 N. Minaret Ave. in Turlock, Modesto City-County Airport at 617 Airport Way (Departures Terminal) in Modesto, Patterson Library (large room) at 46 N. Salado Ave. in Patterson, Riverbank Community Center at 3600 Santa Fe St. in Riverbank, and Salida Library (Community Room) at 4835 Sisk Road in Salida.

The vote center in the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale, will open on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Vote centers will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Indoor drop boxes can be found in various cities throughout the county:

Denair

• Denair Public Library, 4801 Kersey Road, Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hughson 

• Hughson City Hall, 7018 Pine St., Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ceres

• Save Mart, 2920 E. Whitmore Ave., Monday-Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (but no later than 8 p.m. on election night), Friday-Sunday from 6 a.m. to midnight.

• Ceres Community Center, 2701 Fourth St., Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Waterford

• Waterford City Hall, 101 E St., Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Modesto

• Save Mart, 3601 Pelandale Ave., Monday-Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (but no later than 8 p.m. on election night), Friday-Sunday from 6 a.m. to midnight.

• Save Mart, 2100 Standiford Ave., Monday-Thursday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (but no later than 8 p.m. on election night), Friday-Sunday from 6 a.m. to midnight.

• FoodMaxx, 2020 W. Briggsmore Ave., seven days a week, 6 a.m. to midnight (but no later than 8 p.m. on election night).

• MaxxValue, 415 Paradise Road, seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (but no later than 8 p.m. on election night).

• Modesto Junior College, 435 College Ave. (Student Center), Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Postal Connections, 1700 McHenry Ave., Suite 65B, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Postal Connections, 3430 Tully Road, Suite 20, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Stanislaus Veterans Center, 3500 Coffee Road, Suite 15, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Empire

• Garcia’s Market, 5013 Yosemite Blvd., seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. (but no later than 8 p.m. on election night).

Outdoor drop boxes are accessible 24 hours a day beginning immediately, but will close at 8 p.m. on election night, Nov. 4. They are located at Stanislaus State, 1 University Circle, in Turlock, Bonita Elementary School, located at 425 Fink Road in Crows Landing, Burchell Nursery, located at 12000 Highway 120 in Oakdale, Salida Library, located at 4835 Sisk Road in Salida, and the Stanislaus County Registrar of Voters Office, 1021 I St., Modesto.

Curbside drop boxes are located at Venue 833 at 833 10th St. (alley behind) in Modesto, the Stanislaus Culinary Arts Institute at 1040 Wakefield Drive in Oakdale, and at Stanislaus State.

Any resident of Stanislaus County can utilize any drop box or vote center, regardless of their home address.