Contact: Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder
Alternate: Jim Irizarry, Asst. Chief Elections Officer & Asst. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

(Redwood City, CA) Mark Church, Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder announced today that starting Friday, February 9, the Registration & Elections Division will commence the opening and processing of returned Vote by Mail ballots for the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election. The public and the media are welcome to observe these activities.

Election officials may open the return envelopes containing voted mail ballots beginning 29 days before Election Day. Operating hours for opening and processing will be daily, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. or until all ballots are processed for the day, continuing through the completion of the Official Canvass.

For each ballot, an election official will initially verify the voter’s signature on the outside of the envelope against the signature on the voter’s original registration application or any signatures on record from the Department of Motor Vehicles or prior elections.

Once the signature has been verified, the ballot is separated from the envelope to maintain secrecy. The envelope is retained for the mandatory retention period, and the ballot is digitally scanned. The scanned ballots will neither be counted nor reported until the close of voting at 8 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024.

Those interested in observing this process, or any other election process, are welcome to visit the Registration & Elections Division located at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo. Please note that space is limited, and there may be a wait. Time-specific appointments may be made online by sending an email to ElectionObserver@smcacre.gov. Observers will receive a copy of the Election Observer Program Guidelines, which specifies observer rights, responsibilities and limitations, and the Vote by Mail Processing Procedures.

For more information regarding the Registration & Elections Division or the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election, please call or text 650.312.5222, visit smcacre.gov, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @smcvote.