The California Primary: what’s new this year and how to cast your vote

The California Primary is next Tuesday March 3rd, 2020. Some changes are being implemented across some Southern California counties this year in terms of how and where people are voting. 

For example, in places like Orange County and Los Angeles, voters can cast their vote at large voting centers instead of traditional smaller polling places at various locations. These large vote centers are designed to handle about 10,000 voters. 

Mail-in ballots also continue to become more popular across Southern California. Voters are encouraged to visit their county registrar's website for specifics:

Los Angeles County
Orange County
San Bernardino County
Riverside County
Ventura County

As for Riverside county, people will still go to those traditional smaller polling places like in years past. Early voting is also available at the Registrar of Voters office Monday through Friday 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Early voting is also available this upcoming Saturday February 29th from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The registrar’s office is located at 2720 Gateway Drive in Riverside and will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You can call the registrar’s office at (951) 486-7200 if you have any questions about your eligibility to vote.

Remember your right to vote in the presidential primary depends on your political party registration. If you are a “no party preference voter,” you will automatically receive a non-partisan ballot with no presidential candidates listed. However, upon request, a “No Party Preference” voter can instead receive a ballot to vote the presidential ballot of the following parties: 

o American Independent Party 

o Democratic Party 

o Libertarian Party

The official precinct list of polling places for Riverside county voters for the consolidated presidential primary election can be found here. 

As of 2/24/2020 a total of 896,185 ballots have been issued and 141,295 have been returned.