Vote by mail ballots have hit mailboxes and it’s once again time for Santa Monicans to practice their civic duty for this year’s June primaries ahead of the November 2022 midterm elections.
The primary ballot will feature a whole slate of candidates for various races, with the top two vote getters in each race qualifying for the November election.
This year, as in 2020, vote by mail ballots were sent to every registered voter in Los Angeles County. If you are registered to vote in Santa Monica but have not yet received your ballot, www.california.ballottrax.net/voter will show you the status of your ballot.
The deadline to register for vote in the 2022 primary is Monday, May 23. Register at www.covr.sos.ca.gov.
Election Day for the primary is June 7. All vote centers open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on June 7, but many vote centers open up to 10 days before Election Day.
There are three ways to submit vote by mail ballots: Drop them at any post box (no postage necessary), bring them to vote centers or use LA County ballot drop boxes.
Ballots returned by mail should be postmarked by Election Day, but will be accepted up to seven days following the election.
Vote by mail ballots may be dropped at ballot drop boxes, which open 29 days prior to each Election Day (meaning they opened on May 9 for this upcoming primary). Santa Monica’s ballot drop boxes are located at Montana Avenue Library (1704 Montana), Santa Monica Library Main Branch (601 Santa Monica Boulevard), Virginia Avenue Park (2200 Virginia Avenue) and Marine Park (1406 Marine Street), plus locations in Venice, Mar Vista, Sawtelle, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades. Drop boxes close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Drop box locations can be found by visiting www.locator.lavote.gov/locations/vbm?culture=en.
Vote by mail ballots may also be dropped at vote centers. Long gone are the days of precincts; they have been replaced by vote centers that allow LA County voters to cast ballots anywhere within the county.
For early birds, St. Anne Church and Shrine at 20th and Colorado will be open for in-person voting beginning April 28, together with dozens of early vote centers around LA County. Several additional vote centers in and around Santa Monica are set to open on June 4. Vote center locations can be found at www.locator.lavote.gov/locations.
Vote Center locations
Open daily April 28-June 6, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and June 7, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.:
St. Anne Church and Shrine, 2011 Colorado.
Mar Vista Recreation Center, 11430 Woodbine St, Los Angeles.
Oakwood Recreation Center, 767 California Ave, Venice.
Palisades Recreation Center, 851 Alma Real Dr, Pacific Palisades.
Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles.
Open daily June 4-6, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and June 7, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico Blvd.
Civic Center Parking Structure, 330 Olympic Dr (2nd floor).
Joslyn Park, 633 Kensington Rd.
Professional Development Learning Ctr, 2802 4th St.
Marine Park, 1406 Marine St.
Virginia Avenue Park, 2200 Virginia Ave.
Grant Elementary School, 2368 Pearl St.
Brentwood Science Magnet School, 740 S Gretna Green Way, Los Angeles.
Felicia Mahood Multipurpose Center, 11338 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles.
Daniel Webster Middle School, 11330 Graham Pl, Los Angeles.
Penmar Recreation Center, 1341 Lake St, Venice.
Boys and Girls Club of Venice, 2232 Lincoln Blvd, Venice.
Westminster Avenue Elementary School, 1010 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice.
emily@smdp.com
