To qualify for an Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot you must:

• be a registered voter in Sacramento County
• live in the district holding the election
• submit a signed request to the Registrar of Voters

For your convenience a Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot request is located on the back cover of your Sample Official Ballot pamphlet, which is mailed to every eligible voter prior to an election. When applying, you must include the following:

• your name
• the election date you are requesting
• your Sacramento County residence address
• your mailing address if different
• your signature
• • It is not legal for someone to sign your Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot for you, so if you are no longer able to sign your name, please call the Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) Voting Section at (916) 875-6269.

If you do not have an Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) Voter application, you may:

• Complete an electronic Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) Voter Application, or
• Mail in a completed Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) application by downloading from the California Secretary of State's website. This is a one-time Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot that will be mailed to you for the upcoming election.

This application differs from the Permanent Vote-by-Mail (Permanent Absentee) Voter Application. To become a Permanent Vote-by-Mail (Permanent Absentee) Voter, please refer to our section entitled "Become a Permanent Vote-by-Mail (Permanent Absentee) Voter."

Submitting a Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) Ballot Request

Voters may submit a Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot request in one of the following ways:

• Mail or Fax – mailed or faxed applications must be received at the Registrar of Voters' Office no later than 5:00 p.m. the Tuesday one week before the election.

Address:
Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections
7000 65th Street
Sacramento, CA 95823
Fax: (916) 876-5597

• In Person – please bring the application to the Registrar of Voters' Office shown above. Office hours are weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Written Authorization – Certain people are now allowed to pick up your ballot for you. Your ballot may be delivered by your spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or a person residing in the same household as you. They are required to sign a statement attested to under penalty of perjury that provides the name of the applicant and his or her relationship to the applicant and affirms that he or she is 16 years of age or older and is authorized by the applicant to deliver the Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot. You still need to complete the Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) ballot application.

During the last seven days before an election you may authorize, in writing, anyone to pick up your ballot for you.

For more information please call (916) 875-6463.

Vote-by-Mail (Absentee) voter ballots must be received in the Registrars of Voters' Office or at any polling place in Sacramento County by 8:00 p.m. Election Day. There are also special provisions for:

• federal and overseas voters
• new citizens
• new residence within California

For further information about these alternatives, contact our office at (916) 875-6451 or 1 (800) 762-8019