Vote By Mail Election Underway in Santa Barbara

Process Could Save the City $50-thousand dollars

A vote by mail election has begun in Santa Barbara. The city says it will save an estimated $50-thousand dollars. Ballots began arriving today. They must be received by 8 p.m. on November 3rd.

The city will not have an array of precincts. Instead there will be seven drop off locations. They will be open on the Saturday before the election, October 31st and on Election Day November 3rd.

Assistant City Manager Marcelo Lopez said, "It's the first time that it's ever occurred in Santa Barbara County. It's a great opportunity to let people vote and have the opportunity to think about the candidates, to think about the issues and send it right back in." The ballots come with a prepaid envelope. Voters must sign the envelope and the signature has to match the one on file in the elections office.

That process will take place as soon as the ballots are received.
The number of ballots that have been mailed or dropped off at City Hall will be known over the next month, but no results will be released until after the polls close on Election Day.
City Clerk Cynthia Rodriguez says,when the envelopes are received, " We date stamp them, we go ahead and scan them in to make sure the voters have only voted once, we go ahead and do the signature verification process. Then we place them in great large tubs. We file them in precinct order."
Anyone who lost their ballot but is a registered voter, can still get a provisional ballot, even on Election Day.


Besides choosing a Mayor and three City Council members, voters will have four measures to decide on.
Measure B, allows voters to make a decision on the maximum height of city buildings.
Measure C, asks voters if they want to create a combined parks and recreation commission and include a youth member to the panel.
Measure D, asks voters if they want to increase the size of the harbor commission from five to seven positions.
Measure E, asks voters if they want to reduce the Architectural Board of Review from nine to seven positions, and then allow the city to appoint up to three members who live in the county, and not just in the city of Santa Barbara.


The Drop-Off Center Hours will be
Saturday, October 31, 2009, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The Drop-Off Center Locations are:

Braille Institute Auditorium
2031 De La Vina Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Cleveland School
Multi Purpose Room
123 Alameda Padre Serra
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Grace Lutheran Church
Fellowship Hall
3869 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Holy Cross Church
Parish Hall
1740 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109

Pilgrim Terrace
Activity Center
649 Pilgrim Terrace Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Fleischmann Auditorium
2559 Puesta Del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

City of Santa Barbara
City Clerk’s Office
City Hall
735 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
The City Clerk’s Office drop-off center will be open daily, Monday - Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (City Hall is closed every other Friday)



For more information click on:

http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Resident/SB_City_Vote/
Originally posted on KEYT
http://www.keyt.com/news/local/63567782.html