Riverside County Registrar of Voters shares what every voter needs to know ahead of election day

It’s your vote 2020 and today about 1.2 million vote-by-mail ballots are being sent out to voters in Riverside County and the state is tracking those ballots.

News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay spoke with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters who tells us what every voter needs to know ahead of election night.

“Every voter is going to receive a vote-by-mail ballot,” Riverside County Registrar of Voters, Rebecca Spencer told News Channel 3.

Spencer said it’s going to be a very different year of voting.

"This year, we are switching to Voter Assistance Centers rather than polling places,” she said.

Riverside County would normally have about 600 places to cast your ballot in-person. This year, there are only 130 Voter Assistance Centers.

“We’re encouraging voters to go ahead and vote those ballots and only come into the in-person Voting Assistance Centers if they need that in-person assistance,” she said.

The in-person Voter Assistance Centers open October 31 and close when polls do on election day.

To find a Voter Assistance Center near you visit: www.voteinfo.net

If you plan to vote-by-mail it does not require a stamp. Just fill it out, sign and slip it back in the mail through USPS or drop it off at one of the 80 drop-off locations.

To find a ballot drop-off location near you visit: www.voteinfo.net

For those concerned about the safety and accuracy of mail-in-voting, Spencer addressed that concern.

“There are lots of checks and balances when it comes to mail-in-voting so first off there is a ballot tracking website,” she said.

Visit wheresmyballot.gov to track your ballot. You can sign up for text or email notifications when your ballot goes in the mail, has been received and once your signature is accepted.

On the night of the election, Spencer said to expect to see results hourly throughout the night.

“Those first results we put out will be all the vote-by-mail ballots that are turned in by Monday as well as all of the in-person voting that is done through Monday,” she said.

There are a number of ballots that have to be counted after election night. The registrar has until December 3 to certify the election.

“We are anticipating a high turnout so we do expect it will take the full 30 days to verify the election,” she said.

Spencer said to try and turn in your mail-in-ballot as early as possible. Again, the Voter Assistance Centers will be open starting on October 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then on election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Visit KESQ.com/voterguide to learn more about each candidate on the local ballots of the upcoming election.