Election Day is Tuesday: What Palm Springs voters need to know

Tuesday is Election Day, and Palm Springs voters who haven’t cast their ballots still have time.

The General Election includes decisions about local representation, schools and healthcare, along with California’s next governor and other state leaders.

Across California, voters will elect the governor, seven other statewide officers and four district representatives to the State Board of Equalization. All 80 State Assembly seats and 20 State Senate seats are also up for election, with voters choosing representatives in their own districts. See official state election information here.

The ballot also includes 14 statewide propositions, giving voters a direct say on proposed laws and constitutional changes. The state’s official proposition guide provides summaries, fiscal analyses and arguments for and against the measures.

Here’s what Palm Springs voters need to know before the polls close.

How do you vote? California’s active registered voters were sent vote-by-mail ballots. You can return your completed ballot or vote in person.

If you’re returning a ballot Tuesday, delivering it to an official drop-off location or vote center before 8 p.m. avoids uncertainty about its postmark. Remember to sign the return envelope.

Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by the county elections office by Nov. 10. Postage is prepaid. See California election deadlines here.

Where can you vote in Palm Springs? The county lists two vote centers, both open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day:

• Demuth Community Center, 3601 East Mesquite Ave.
• James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, 480 West Tramview Road.

Riverside County voters may use any county vote center to vote in person or return a completed ballot. See official vote-center locations here.

Drop-off locations: Palm Springs City Hall, 3200 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, is an official ballot drop-off location, as is James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center. Both are open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find other official ballot drop-off locations here.

Not registered? The regular registration deadline was Oct. 19, but eligible Californians can still complete same-day registration and vote conditionally at a vote center or county elections office. Election officials verify eligibility before counting the ballot. California voter-registration information is here.

City Council: Three seats are on the ballot. Palm Springs elects council members by district, so voters choose only the representative for their district.

In District 1, Councilmember Grace Garner is running for reelection against Donald J. Soja, the former vice chair of the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission. Soja appears as Don Soja on the county’s final candidate roster.

In District 2, Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein is running unopposed. Tad Iwan, who described himself in campaign material as a director of project management for clinical oncology trials, initially pulled nomination papers to challenge Bernstein but did not secure enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Bernstein’s race remains on the ballot.

In District 3, incumbent Ron deHarte faces Charles A. Brown, an activist and entertainer who appears on the county’s final roster as Charles “Charlie” Brown.

Each seat carries a four-year term. Residents of Districts 4 and 5 do not have a regularly scheduled council contest this year. See city election information and find your district here.

Healthcare district: A contested seat and an uncontested filing. In Desert Healthcare District Zone 1, three candidates are competing to fill a vacant seat for a short term: healthcare nonprofit executive David “Jax” Kelly, municipal finance professional Ted Stoner and healthcare executive C.J. Tobe.

For Zone 4, incumbent Evett PerezGil was the sole qualified candidate in the county’s August proof list, so Zone 4 is also absent from the county’s September final list of on-ballot contests.

Palm Springs residents should check their healthcare zone rather than assume the Zone 1 race appears on every city ballot. Healthcare zones do not match City Council districts. The healthcare district zone lookup tool is here.

School board: Two candidates in Trustee Area 4. Palm Springs Unified School District voters living in Trustee Area 4 choose between retired superintendent Tony Signoret and incumbent board member Charlie E. Ervin Jr.

Only residents of that trustee area can vote in the contest. Living elsewhere in PSUSD — or having a child attend one of its schools — does not make a voter eligible for the Area 4 race. PSUSD trustee-area information is here.

Other races representing Palm Springs: The newly drawn 48th Congressional District, which includes Palm Springs, features Republican Jim Desmond and Democrat Marni von Wilpert. In the 47th Assembly District, Republican incumbent Greg Wallis faces Democrat Leila Namvar. See the Congressional district overview; See this site for the county’s final candidate list, pages 11 and 14.

A countywide measure to watch: Measure A asks voters to renew Riverside County’s existing half-cent transportation sales tax beyond 2039. The proposal would continue the tax without increasing its current rate, providing funding for transportation investments such as roads, highways and public transit. Riverside County Transportation Commission’s measure information.

A judicial race to watch: Andrea Garcia and Michelle Paradise are running for Riverside County Superior Court judge. Both advanced from the primary in June to campaign for the nonpartisan position where there is no incumbent running.

How can you check your ballot? California’s “Where’s My Ballot?” service lets voters track their vote-by-mail ballot and receive status notifications. For election information, results and assistance, visit the Riverside County Registrar of Voters or call 951-486-7200.

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