Voters starting to receive mail-in ballots for the 28th State Senate District election

Voters are beginning to receive their mail-in-ballots for the State Senate 28th District special election.

Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order back on March 20 that all voters receive vote-by-mail ballots for the two upcoming special elections being held on May 12, 2020, which are the 28th State Senate District and the Congressional District 25 (out of the area).

The two candidates set for the 28th Senate District will be Republican Melissa Melendez and Democrat Elizabeth Romero.

Melendez was the leading vote-getter during the primaries in March with 87,162 votes. Romero came in second among the five candidates with 53,001 votes. A total number of 218,298 votes counted as of 4/13/2020.

Approximately 493,833 vote-by-mail ballots were mailed across California's 28th district.

The 28th Senate District includes Blythe, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, Indio, Lake Elsinore, La Quinta, Murrieta, Temecula, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Wildomar.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this election will be an all-mail ballot election, meaning there will be no established polling place. In-person voting opportunities are still available but in a limited capacity.

For more information on in-person voting, options contact your county elections office (951) 486-7200.

The mail-in ballots come in with a prepaid postage return envelope. All you have to do is fill out your ballot, seal it with the return envelop, sign the back of the envelope on the designated line, and put it in the mail.

You can sign up to receive automatic email, text (SMS), or voice notifications on the status of your vote-by-mail ballot. Sign up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.

You will be notified when your ballot is on its way to you, received by county elections officials, and counted

If you have any questions about your eligibility to vote, call Riverside County Registrar of Voters office at (951) 486-7200.

Early voting at the Registrar of Voters office began on Monday and continues Monday through Friday (excluding county holidays), from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Call (951) 486-7200 if you need to schedule an appointment to vote in person.

Completed ballots must be received at the Registrar of Voters office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, or be postmarked on or before Election Day and received no later than three days after Election Day.

The 28th District was vacated by Jeff Stone on November 1. Stone accepted a a role with President Donald Trump's Labor Department.