Last Day for Absentees Next Week

The last day for voters to submit a request to receive a vote-by-mail ballot is Tuesday, February 24.

Voters may apply by mail, FAX, in person, or online at www.votescount.com between now and February 24 for a ballot to be mailed to them. Under a new law, voters may become a Permanent Absentee Voter by checking the appropriate box on the Vote-By-Mail application or by completing an application to become a Permanent Absentee Voter.

Vote-by-mail Ballot applications may be found on the back cover of the Sample Ballot, online at www.votescount.com , and at the City Clerk’s Office in Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville. Voters may also write a note including the voter’s residence address in Santa Cruz County, mailing address and signature requesting a vote-by-mail ballot for the March 2, 2004 Primary Election.

Voters who want to obtain a ballot in person, may go to either the Santa Cruz County Elections Department, 701 Ocean St., Room 210, in Santa Cruz, or the Watsonville City Clerks’ Office at 215 Union Street, 2nd Floor, in Watsonville during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After February 24, voters may still obtain a ballot at the Santa Cruz County Elections Department and Watsonville City Clerk’s Office under the late absentee provisions. Voters who want to get a ballot during the final week prior to election day, need to be unable to go to the polls due to illness, disability or absence from their polling place on Election Day. A separate application available at the Santa Cruz and Watsonville polling sites must be completed.

If voters are unable to come in and obtain a ballot personally, they may provide a written statement allowing an authorized representative of the voter to obtain the ballot on the voter’s behalf.

In addition, polling sites in Santa Cruz and Watsonville will be open on the weekend prior to the election, February 28 and 29, Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.:

• Santa Cruz County Elections Department, 701 Ocean Street, Room 210, Santa Cruz; or

• Watsonville City Hall, Council Chambers, 250 Main Street, Watsonville.

Both the Santa Cruz County Elections Department and Watsonville City Hall will be open for voting or dropping off ballots on Election Day, Tuesday, March 2, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters who have obtained vote-by-mail ballots are reminded that the ballot must be received by the Santa Cruz County Elections Department, Watsonville City Hall, or any polling place in the county no later than 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 2. Postmark is not acceptable. Also, ballot envelopes must be signed by the voter in order for the vote to be counted.

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For more information, please call the Santa Cruz County Elections Department at 831-454-2060, visit our office at 701 Ocean St., Room 210 in Santa Cruz, or check out our website at www.votescount.com.