California Primary Election Day is Tuesday: What you need to know if you haven’t cast your vote

Tomorrow is California’s Primary Election Day, and also Super Tuesday. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., and here’s what you need to know:

Who votes: Every registered voter in California should have received a ballot in the mail.

How do you vote? There are multiple ways to cast your ballot:

• Mail it back: Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than seven days after Election Day.
  
  • Bonus: Postage is paid.
• Vote or drop off a ballot in-person: In Palm Springs, there are three ballot drop-off locations where you can also vote in person:
  
  • Demuth Community Center at 3601 East Mesquite Ave.
  • James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center at 480 West Tramview Road.
  • Palm Springs Public Library at 300 South Sunrise Way.
• Drop-off only: There’s a drop box at Palm Springs City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, but no voting booths.

Of note: You can also register to vote and cast your ballot at each of the in-person voting locations, but it will only be counted once your registration has been verified.

• These locations will also provide replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance.

Turnout predictions: Politico says turnout in the state could be at a record low this year. As of last week, only about 8%, or 1.7 million out of the state’s 22 million registered voters, had returned their ballots, 

• Turnout in Riverside County is faring slightly better, as of Monday in Riverside County, approximately 1.4 million Vote-by-Mail ballots have been issued and approximately 180,000, or 13%, had been returned. 

Local races to watch: Two current Palm Springs City Council members have their eyes on statewide seats.

• Councilmember Christy Holstege is running for the 47th Assembly District against incumbent Republican Greg Wallis, who beat her in 2022 by just 85 votes. Also in the running is Democrat Jamie Swain.
• Councilmember Lisa Middleton is running for the 19th State Senatorial District against incumbent Republican Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh.
• The top two vote-getters from each race will advance to the General Election on Nov. 5.

Local race with national consequences: The race for the 41st Congressional District is between Democrats Will Rollins and Anna Nevenic, and the Republican incumbent, Ken Calvert. Calvert beat Rollins by less than 5% in the 2022 General Election.

• Republicans have a narrow majority in the U.S. House, and losing Calvert’s seat could mark a key change in the makeup of Congress. 

Other races on the ballot: There will also be Primary elections for President and the U.S. Senate (which you’ll be voting for twice — here’s an explainer on that).

• Countywide, there is also an election for Judge of the Superior Court, Office #4, between Jeffrey Kirk, Gerald Pfohl, and Elizabeth Tucker. 
• There’s just one proposition on the ballot, Proposition 1, which would expand the Mental Health Services Act to include treatment for substance use disorders. Read more about the proposition here.

What happens after I cast my vote? When a ballot arrives at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, it follows a “stringent chain of custody,” as they are scanned for barcodes and signatures. Eventually, the ballots are scanned and counted, up to 90,000 ballots per hour. 

• Here’s an in-depth look at the voting process inside the Registrar’s office, thanks to the Riverside Record.

If you’d like to watch democracy in action, the county has set up a live stream so you can see the process for yourself.

Details: If you need more information, here’s the link to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. You can also double-check the drop-off locations here. You can also call the Registrar’s office at 951-486-7200 if you have questions.

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