Time is inexorably moving us toward the November presidential election, and all the polls promise a competitive race—too close to call. It is especially important for voters to have their voices heard and for every vote to be counted. Many people planning to vote this November did not vote in the March 2020 primary election. They will find that L.A. County has a new way of voting! In this issue of the Voter we have focused on the new tools available to help us vote.

Neighborhood polling places have been replaced by modernized Vote Centers, and our ballots have been “flipped,” meaning that local candidates such as those for city council will appear at the top of the ballot and the Office of President will appear at the very bottom.

Because of the pandemic, voters will have to consider their voting options carefully. In California, all voters will be issued vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots. These will start to be mailed on October 5, and mailing will continue through October 10. Most registered voters will receive their ballots before October 19, the voter registration deadline. Voters can start dropping off their ballots at several locations throughout L.A. County. The League recommends that you do not wait to return your ballot so you can be assured that it will arrive at the Registrar’s Office before the deadline. Eligible voters who miss the voter registration deadline can still vote. Find out how in the “Make My Ballot Count” Toolkit in this issue of the Voter.

To gain a deeper understanding of the ballot measures, register for Thursday with the League on October 8 to learn about the pros and cons of each. Go to our signup page to register.

Also, sign up to attend a candidate forum, where you can hear directly from candidates running for office in your city; visit our website at www.lwv-pa.org to register for these forums.

As I write, there are less than five weeks before November 3 rolls around. Let us redouble our efforts to get out the vote!

—Martha Y. Zavala