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 that starting Tuesday, October 15, the San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division will begin opening and processing returned Vote by Mail ballots for the November 5, 2024 Presidential General Election. Members of the public and the media are invited to observe these activities.

In accordance with Elections Code Section 15101, Election officials may begin opening the return envelopes containing voted mail ballots 29 days before Election Day. This process will take place Monday through Friday at our office, located at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo. Daily opening and processing will proceed from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Hours may vary depending on the volume of ballots to process, and weekend processing will be added as necessary.

For each ballot, an election official will first verify the voter’s signature on the outside of the envelope by comparing it to the signature on the voter’s original registration application form or any updated signatures on file from prior elections or the Department of Motor Vehicles. Once the signature is verified, the ballot is separated from the envelope to maintain voter privacy. The envelope is retained for the mandatory retention period, while the ballot is digitally scanned. However, the scanned ballots will not be counted or reported until the close of voting at 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 5, 2024.

Anyone interested in observing this or any other election process, can visit the Registration & Elections Division office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo at any time. Due to a limited space, there may be a wait. Observers can also schedule an appointment by emailing ElectionObserver@smcacre.gov. Observers will receive a copy of the Election Observer Program Guidelines, outlining their rights, responsibilities and limitations, along with the Vote by Mail Processing Procedures.

For more information about the Registration & Elections Division or the November 5, 2024 Presidential General Election, please call or text 650.312.5222, visit smcacre.gov, or follow us on X @smcvote.