Voting in Santa Barbara County

Voting in Santa Barbara County

The 2024 Presidential General Election will be held on November 5, 2024.

Now is the perfect time to check your registration status.

Key Dates for Nov. 5th Election

  • October 7, 2024, Santa Barbara county elections office will begin mailing ballots. All California active registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot.
  • October 8, 2024, Ballot drop-off locations will open.  Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail, at a drop-off location, or your county elections office.
  • October 21, 2024 is the last day to register to vote. 
  • October 26, 2024 vote centers open for early in-person voting.
  • November 5, 2024, Election Day.  Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by November 12, 2024.

Where and How to Vote?

What's On My Ballot?

Every registered voter in California will receive a ballot in the mail about a month before Election Day. You can choose to return the ballot by mail, drop it off, or vote in person. 

Vote 411 - A personalized voter's guide for election related material developed by the League of Women Voters. View election information based on your state, look up your polling place, deadlines, absentee and mail-in ballot information and more. Print out a personalized ballot with your choices to take with you on Election Day.  Watch this 1 minute video to see how.  We’re still populating the site, so check back for updates.

What Propositions are we voting on?

In November, California voters will determine the fate of 10 propositions.  Are you wondering how to evaluate these state ballot propositions?  Read nonpartisan explanations at Pros and Cons, with supporting and opposing arguments.

The League of Women Voters of California analyzes all statewide ballot measures and makes recommendations for voters based on our positions.  We call this Vote with the League. Read our recommendations for the statewide propositions on your ballot.

Scroll to the bottom of this informative page to watch 1-minute videos explaining each of the propositions.

What Happens at the Polling Place?

1) Go to the Check-In station where the check-in officer will use the ePollbook (an electronic roster) to look up and verify voter's information, and then have the voter sign in using the touch screen. A ticket will then print, and the voter will be directed to the ballot issue workstation.

2) Receive your ballot from the ballot issue officer who is responsible for issuing the proper ballot to voters. The polling place may have ballots for multiple precincts, and a voter's precinct determines which ballot they should receive.

 3) Mark your ballot

 4) Return your ballot at the ballot reception workstation. The ballot reception officer monitors ballots as they are returned. They are responsible for tallying all returned regular ballots, vote by mail ballots, and provisional ballots.

Voter Guides

California has Same Day Voter Registration

  • Eligible citizens who miss a voter registration deadline still have the option to participate. You can register and vote provisionally 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day. 

  • You can complete this process to register and vote at a county elections office, polling place, or vote center. Your ballot will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.

  • Visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov for a list of early voting locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration Process.

  • Need to register on Election Day? Use our polling place lookup tool to find your local polling location.

  • Have additional questions about locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration process? Contact your county elections office.

In elections conducted by your county elections official, you can “conditionally” register and vote at your county elections office after the 15-day voter registration deadline. For more information please go to Same Day Voter Registration.

Trace Your Mail-in Ballot after you send it.