Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Politics

Midterm Elections Cheat Sheet: 10 Things You Need To Know

A KPBS graphic depicting a ballot is shown in this undated image.
KPBS
A KPBS graphic depicting a ballot is shown in this undated image.

You probably have a lot of questions about voting. Am I registered? How can I vote? Where do I go to vote?

Don't worry — KPBS has put together this cheat sheet in hopes of answering some of the most common election-related questions.

1. When is election day?

Advertisement

The California general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.

2. How do I register to vote?

You can check your registration status on the San Diego County Registrar of Voters website. If you aren't registered, the website has an online application you can fill out and submit to get registered.

3. When is the registration deadline?

The voter registration deadline was October 22. However, if you missed it, there's still another option to have your vote counted this year: conditional voter registration.

Advertisement

According to the state of California, eligible citizens who missed the October 22 deadline can go to their county elections office or a designated satellite location to register and vote conditionally. Those ballots will be processed once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.

Voters can complete the conditional voter registration process from October 23 all the way through Election Day on November 6.

4. Where can I vote?

The San Diego Registrar of Voters helps you find your polling location by submitting your address.

5. How do I submit my mail-in ballot?

– Mail your ballot

Send to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters at the following address:

Registrar of Voters

P.O. Box 85520

San Diego, CA 92186-5520

Your ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than the Friday after election day, which is Friday, November 9.

If you need language assistance in Chinese, Filipino, Spanish or Vietnamese, please contact the Registrar of Voters at 858-565-5800.

– Personal delivery

Ballots that are personally delivered must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

– Drop-off

Ballots that are personally delivered to a ballot drop-off location must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

6. Who and what’s on the ballot?

KPBS has partnered with Voter's Edge California to create an online voter guide. Here you will find everything from candidate profiles to local and state measures.

7. How do I know where candidates stand on big issues?

KPBS created a page to help you better understand what issues candidates support and oppose.

8. Curious if candidates themselves participate in elections?

KPBS dug up the candidates' voting records and has those available for you. You may be surprised to see who has missed voting in past elections.

9. How do I contact my local elections office?

Send them an email at ROVMail@sdcounty.ca.gov or call them at (858) 565-5800.

10. Where can I find the election results?

Right here! KPBS.org will have a live feed of the results as they are updated by the Registrar of Voters.