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By Shawn Raymundo
Registered voters this week are expected to begin receiving their vote-by-mail ballots for California’s Primary Election on June 7.
Over the next month, South County voters in Dana Point, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo can cast their ballots and shape several local and statewide races that will culminate in the General Election this fall.
This year’s major races in our area include the State Assembly’s newly redrawn 74th District and State Senate’s new 36th and 38th Districts, as well as the Orange County Board’s Fifth District and California’s 49th Congressional District.
Statewide, voters will also decide the gubernatorial race, which will see Gov. Gavin Newsom seek reelection after staving off last year’s recall effort. Twenty-five candidates for governor are set to also appear on the ballot. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis is also seeking reelection, and is among seven others appearing on the ballot.
California’s top two-primary system will allow the top two vote-getters of each race, regardless of party affiliation, to move on to the General Election, scheduled for Nov. 8.
Under the state’s vote-by-mail system, constituents will have several options when it comes to casting their ballot.
In Orange County, voters can mail either mail or hand-deliver their ballots to the county’s Registrar of Voters. Ballots mailed to the Registrar’s office must be post-marked by June 7. Voters will also have the option to drop their ballot off at any of the Registrar’s drop boxes or Vote Centers throughout the county.
Most of the county’s Vote Centers will open to the public beginning June 4, with a few opening days earlier on May 28.
According to the Registrar of Voters, Dana Point will host three Vote Centers—one being the Dana Point Community Center at 34052 Del Obispo Street, which will open May 28 and includes a drive-thru ballot drop-off option.
The Dana Point Branch Library at 33841 Niguel Road and the OC Sailing & Events Center at 34451 Ensenada Place will also serve as Vote Centers starting June 4.
In San Clemente, the San Clemente Community Center at 100 N. Calle Seville will serve as a Vote Center opening May 28. The Outlets at San Clemente at 101 W. Avenida Vista Hermosa will also have a Vote Center starting June 4.
Two more Vote Centers opening June in San Clemente will be located at Shorecliffs Terrace Mobile Home Park at 3000 Calle Nuevo and St. Andrew’s By the Sea UMC at 2001 Call Frontera.
The San Juan Capistrano Community Center at 25925 Camino Del Avion will also be used as a Vote Center starting May 28. Three more Vote Centers will open in San Juan on June 4 at the Capistrano Unified School District offices at 33122 Valle Road; La Sala Auditorium at 31495 El Camino Real; and Reata Park & Event Center at 28632 Ortega Highway.
As for ballot drop boxes, there are six listed throughout three South County towns of Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano:
- Dana Point Branch Library (33841 Niguel Road)
- Dana Point City Hall (33282 Golden Lantern)
- Jim Johnson Memorial Sports Park (560 Avenida Vista Hermosa)
- San Clemente City Hall (910 Calle Negocio)
- San Clemente Municipal Golf Course (150 E. Avenida Magdalena)
- La Sala Auditorium (31495 El Camino Real)
More information about how and where to vote can be found at the Registrar of Voters’ website, ocvote.gov.
Shawn Raymundo
Shawn Raymundo is the managing editor for Picket Fence Media. He graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies. Before joining Picket Fence Media, he worked as the government accountability reporter for the Pacific Daily News in the U.S. territory of Guam. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnzyTsunami and follow San Clemente Times @SCTimesNews.
