Frequently Asked Questions – San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters

Frequently Asked Questions for the March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election

About the Presidential Primary Election and Offices Up for Election

How does California’s “Open Primary” work?

In 2011, California voters enacted the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act. This created “voter‑nominated” offices in which the top two vote-getters, regardless of political affiliation, advance to the General Election in November.

The Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act does not apply to candidates running for U.S. President, county central committees, or local offices.

In the General Election, eligible voters in California cast their votes to select their candidate of choice across all contests during the given year.

What offices are up for election? Who are the candidates?

View the List of Offices Up for Election
View the Official List of Candidates

For the Presidential Primary Election, what will appear on the ballot for us to vote on?

On the ballot, voters will see three different types of offices: Party-Nominated Offices, Voter-Nominated Offices and Nonpartisan Offices. Your ballot will include candidates for U.S. President, U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative in Congress, State Senate, State Assembly, as well as Judicial, County and City offices.

For more information, view the List of Offices Up for Election and Final Official List of Candidates.

However, if you are registered as a No Party Preference voter, you will receive a nonpartisan ballot, which will not include candidates for U.S. President.

Some parties will allow you to “crossover” and vote for their candidates. Other parties do not.

For this election, the American Independent Party, Democratic Party and Libertarian Party will allow crossover voting by voters registered as No Party Preference.

Voters who are registered as No Party Preference and want to vote for one of the parties listed above can request a crossover ballot by:

Emailing MailBallots@rov.sbcounty.gov
Calling 800-881-VOTE (8683)

Voters who are registered as No Party Preference and would like to vote for a Presidential candidate affiliated with a party that does not allow crossover voting must re-register with that party to vote for that party’s presidential candidate.

You can re-register to vote online at www.registertovote.ca.gov. Voters can also re-register at a polling place and cast a provisional ballot.

Why is the primary election earlier than normal?

Election Day for the 2024 Presidential Primary Election is March 5, 2024. For the 2020 Presidential General Election, the date was moved from June to “Super Tuesday” and will remain in early March during presidential election years.

There are many candidates on the ballot. Do I vote for one in each column?

Be sure to follow all directions on the ballot with respect to the number of candidates you should select for each contest.

My ballot does not include Presidential candidates. What is happening? What is crossover voting?

In a Presidential Primary Election, if you registered to vote with a political party, you will receive a ballot that contains Presidential candidates for that political party only.

However, if you are registered as a No Party Preference voter, you will receive a nonpartisan ballot, which will not include candidates for U.S. President.

Some parties will allow you to “crossover” and vote for their candidates. Other parties do not.

For this election, the American Independent Party, Democratic Party and Libertarian Party will allow crossover voting by voters registered as No Party Preference.

Voters who are registered as No Party Preference and want to vote for one of the parties listed above can request a crossover ballot by:

Emailing VoterRegistrations@rov.sbcounty.gov
Calling 800-881-VOTE (8683)

You can re-register to vote online at www.registertovote.ca.gov. Voters can also re-register at a polling place and cast a provisional ballot.

Why are there two U.S. Senate races? What’s the difference between them?

There are two contests for U.S. Senate on the ballot. You may vote for one candidate in each contest.

The first contest is the regular election for the full 6-year term ending January 3, 2031.
The second contest is a special vacancy election (the current officeholder is temporarily filling a vacancy) for the remainder of the current term ending January 3, 2025.

Because these are two separate terms of office, you will see the same candidates running in both contests.

Will candidates’ political party preference be listed on the ballot?

For party-nominated offices, the candidate’s political party preference is not listed on the ballot. These candidates are exclusively on their party’s ballot. The following contests are party-nominated:

President of the United States
County Central Committee offices

For voter-nominated offices, the candidate’s political party preference is listed on the ballot. The following contests are voter-nominated offices:

U.S. Representative in Congress
U.S. Senator
State Senate
State Assembly

For nonpartisan offices, the candidate’s political party preference is not listed on the ballot. The following contests are nonpartisan:

Judicial offices
County offices
School District offices
City offices

A candidate’s party preference does not necessarily mean that they have their political party’s support. The list of candidates who receive a political party’s official endorsement is in the Voter Information Guide.

For more information, see the San Bernardino County Voter Information Guide or the California Voter Information Guide.

What happens after the primary election?

The canvass for the 2024 Presidential Primary Election begins the day after Election Day on March 6, and the results will be certified by April 4, 2024.

In Judicial and County contests, if a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary, they are considered elected and will not appear in the general election. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the primary, the two candidates with the most votes will be on the ballot in the general election.

For most city offices, candidates that receive the most votes are elected to office. Contact your City Clerk’s office to find out more about your city elections.

About Voting and How to Vote

Who can vote in this election?

Any California registered voter may vote in the Presidential Primary Election. To check your voter registration status, use My Elections Gateway on the Registrar of Voters website or visit VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov. If you need to update your voter registration or find out if you are eligible to register to vote, you can visit the California Online Voter Registration page at RegisterToVote.ca.gov.

Alternatively, you can pick up a paper application at the Registrar of Voters located at 777 East Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino; any Department of Motor Vehicles field office; and many post offices, public libraries, and government offices. View the map of locations where paper Voter Registration Applications are available. To have an application mailed to you, call the Registrar of Voters at (909) 387-8300 or toll free at (800) 881-8683.

You can register to vote up until February 20, 2024, and have a ballot mailed to you for this election. If you miss this deadline, you may register to vote and cast a provisional ballot at the Registrar of Voters office up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, an Early Vote site before Election Day, or at a polling place on Election Day.

Your provisional ballot will be counted after election officials have confirmed you have not already voted. County election officials carefully check every provisional ballot to ensure that you are registered and did not cast a second ballot elsewhere.

How do I cast a vote?

You have four ways to cast a voted ballot this election.

Please be sure to check the back cover of your Voter Information Guide (mailed to your mailing address) to find your assigned polling place. Please note that you may have a new polling place.

In addition to voting by mail or at a mail ballot drop-off location, the Registrar of Voters office opens for early voting on Monday, February 5.

Early voting at additional locations will be available:

Tuesday, February 27 through Saturday, March 2, and
Monday, March 4.

Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, March 5. Voters are encouraged to vote before Election Day as polling places may have significant lines.

If you prefer to vote in person, please note that face coverings and social distancing are not required regardless of vaccination status. Public health requirements are subject to change based on guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California Department of Public Health, or San Bernardino County Department of Public Health.

When are mail ballots sent out?

Pursuant to California Elections Code section 3000.5, every active registered voter in the county will be mailed a ballot. Mail ballots were delivered to the United States Postal Service beginning February 5.

I moved since the last time I voted. How do I make sure the Registrar of Voters has my current address?

To confirm the Registrar of Voters has your current address, you may use the My Elections Gateway online application on the Registrar of Voters website at Elections.SBCounty.gov. You may also review your voter registration information on file with the Secretary of State at VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov.

If you need to update your address, you may re-register to vote at RegisterToVote.ca.gov If you moved from one residence to another and stayed within San Bernardino County, you may simply complete an In-County Change of Address Form. This form may be submitted to the Registrar of Voters by email to VoterRegistrations@rov.sbcounty.gov, by mail, or in person.

If you miss the February 27 Voter Registration deadline, you will need to update your address in person at an Early Vote site or polling place.

What do I do if I make a mistake on my ballot?

If you make a mistake on your ballot, you can simply make a notation correcting your vote. Please do not initial or sign your name after the correction.

If you prefer, you may request a replacement ballot by mail no later than Tuesday, February 27, by calling (800) 881-VOTE (8683) or (909) 387-8300, or by emailing MailBallots@rov.sbcounty.gov. Include your name, residence address, mailing address, and date of birth. After February 27, replacement ballots must be requested in person at the Registrar of Voters, an Early Vote site or your assigned polling place.

How can I get a replacement ballot if I do not receive a ballot in the mail?

If you do not receive a mail ballot, you can request a replacement ballot by mail before Tuesday, February 27, by calling (800) 881-VOTE (8683) or (909) 387-8300, or emailing MailBallots@rov.sbcounty.gov. Include your name, residence address, mailing address, and date of birth. After February 27, replacement ballots must be requested in person at the Registrar of Voters, an Early Vote site or your assigned polling place.

Beginning February 5, you can visit the Registrar of Voters located at 777 East Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino to pick up a replacement ballot.

Note: If you request a replacement ballot, the Registrar of Voters will suspend the mail ballot you did not receive so no one else can use it to vote.

When do I need to return my voted mail ballot?

For your mail ballot to be counted, your ballot must be:

Postmarked no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024, and received by the Registrar of Voters no later than Tuesday, March 12.
Dropped off at any polling place on Election Day by 8 p.m.
Delivered to the Registrar of Voters by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Deposited into a mail ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

What happens if I leave something blank on my ballot? Will the rest of my ballot be counted?

Yes! A blank contest on a ballot is referred to as an undervote, which occurs when a voter intentionally or unintentionally does not vote in a specific contest. Properly marked votes on the ballot will be counted.

Why are voters being provided Sharpies to mark their ballots? Doesn’t it bleed through and void the ballot?

The use of a Sharpie pen to mark a ballot does not void the ballot. The County’s voting system vendor recommends the use of Sharpie pens for marking ballots because the high-speed ballot scanners read the ink better. Also, the ink dries fast.

Ballot scanners only read marks in the oval voting target areas of the ballots. The ovals on one side of a ballot card do NOT align with the ovals on the other side of the card, so – if bleed-through occurs – it is not read by the ballot scanner.

However, voters are not required to use a Sharpie to mark their ballot. Blue or black ballpoint pens are available for use at the polls.

What options are there for people with disabilities to vote independently?

Ballot Marking Devices are available at each voting location and include the following options:

Audio, large print, high contrast, controls for speed and volume, use controller or use touch screen
Bring your own headset or use ours
Adaptable for sip-and-puff devices.

Remote Accessible Vote by Mail

Voters may use their computer to mark an accessible ballot. Once marked, voters print their ballot and return it to the Registrar of Voters office using a mail ballot identification envelope.

Curbside Voting

Voters with disabilities may take advantage of our easy-to-navigate curbside voting option. Follow these instructions:

At your assigned polling place, park in the location designated for curbside voting.
Use your cellphone to call for curbside voting assistance. The phone number is printed on the curbside voting sign. Be ready to provide the name of your polling place and make, model and color of your vehicle to the operator.
Sit back and relax. Poll workers will be out to assist you soon

About Tracking Your Ballot

Can I track the status of my ballot?

Yes. You can track when your ballot is mailed, received, and will be counted through the Secretary of State’s Where’s My Ballot tracking system. You can sign up to receive notifications about the status of your mail ballot via email, text message, and/or telephone call. Sign up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov.

Can I check on the status of my ballot if I did not sign up for Where’s My Ballot?

Yes, you may use one of the following two websites to look up the status of your ballot:

My Voter Status on the Secretary of State’s website allows you to look up the status of your ballot. This service provides similar messages to the notifications sent by Where’s My Ballot from “ballot mailed” to “accepted” or “rejected.”
My Elections Gateway on the Registrar of Voters’ website allows you to look up the status of your ballot if you voted by mail.

- If you have cast a mail ballot, the status of your ballot will remain “received” until we certify the election results (on or before April 4). After certification, your mail ballot status will update to “counted” or “not counted.”
- If you voted at a polling place, your voting history will not be immediately available on My Elections Gateway. You will be able to view your voting history after the election results are certified to see that you voted in this election.

I received a notification that the Registrar of Voters was having trouble processing my ballot. What can I do to make sure my ballot is counted?

If you receive this message, you will have an opportunity to resolve the issue with your mail ballot up until two days before the Registrar of Voters certifies the results of the election.

In addition to a notification from Where’s My Ballot, you will receive a letter from the Registrar of Voters that describes the issue and how to solve it. The three solvable mail ballot issues are:

Voter did not sign the mail ballot identification envelope
Signature on the mail ballot identification envelope does not compare to the signature in the voter’s registration record
First-time voter did not provide sufficient identification information when registering to vote and must provide ID when voting the first time

Voters may return an Unsigned Identification Envelope Statement, Signature Verification Statement, or a copy of their ID by dropping a copy off at the Registrar of Voters office, by mail, by fax, or by emailing a photographed or scanned copy of the statement or ID.

I received a notification that my ballot cannot be counted. Can I solve the issue?

If you receive this notification, the issue cannot be solved. The reasons the Registrar of Voters will reject a mail ballot, include:

You already voted in this election when we received your mail ballot
Your mail ballot identification envelope did not contain a ballot
Your mail ballot identification envelope contained more than one ballot
Your mail ballot identification envelope was postmarked after March 5

I voted at my polling place and received a message that my ballot “was received and counted” before I left the polling place. How can that happen?

Voters receive the status of their ballot by signing up for BallotTrax on the Secretary of State’s website. BallotTrax status messages use language from the Secretary of State and all counties’ voters receive the same messages. When voters vote at polling places, they check-in using an electronic roster, which sends a message to BallotTrax, and BallotTrax sends the voter a status message. In San Bernardino County, polling place ballots are counted once they are returned to the Registrar of Voters’ office on Election Night, not at the polling place.

About the Election Process and Election Security

Why doesn’t the Registrar of Voters require all voters to show I.D. at the polls?

Pursuant to state law, California voters are not required to show identification before they cast their ballots. However, if you are voting for the first time after registering online or by mail and did not provide your driver license number, California identification number or the last four digits of your social security number on your registration form, you may be asked to show a form of identification when you go to the polls.

Can a person with a felony background vote in the election?

A person can register to vote and vote if they are:

A United States citizen and a resident of California,
18 years old or older on Election Day,
Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony, and
Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court

If you meet these requirements, you can vote even if you:

Have a misdemeanor conviction (a misdemeanor will never prevent you from voting)
Are on parole or probation
Are on post-release community supervision (PRCS)

If you were registered to vote and convicted of a felony, your previous registration may have been canceled. Visit RegisterToVote.ca.gov or fill out a paper registration form to register to vote.

Can I be a poll worker?

Yes. You must be at least 18 years of age and a registered voter in the State of California, and read, write, and understand English. You must commit to working one (1) day (March 5), attend a mandatory two-hour training session, and have transportation to the polling place. Poll workers in San Bernardino County are paid a stipend for each day worked. To sign up, visit Elections.SBCounty.gov/Election-Workers.

I heard I can return my ballot to any polling place in any county in California. Is this true?

Voters may return their voted ballots to any mail ballot drop box or voting location in any county in California. The County Elections Official will forward the ballot to the county that issued the ballot.

Can my neighbor return my ballot for me?

Yes. A voter may authorize any person to return their mail ballot. The authorized person returning a voter’s mail ballot is required to provide their name and signature on the mail ballot identification envelope. The authorized person shall return the mail ballot in person, or put the mail ballot in the mail, no later than three days after receiving it from the voter or before the close of the polls on Election Day, whichever is shorter.

What technology will voters use to cast their votes?

At polling places, voters will be able to mark their choices on a paper ballot. Voters who cannot mark a paper ballot without assistance may use an accessible ballot-marking device that will print the voter’s ballot after the voter makes their choices. Either way, all votes will be cast on paper ballots.

Under what conditions would a mail ballot be disqualified?

The most common reasons for mail ballots to be rejected are that the voter’s signature did not compare to the voter’s signature on file or the voter didn’t sign the mail ballot identification envelope. The Registrar of Voters will notify voters by mail, attempt to reach you by phone or email, and provide them with an opportunity to resolve their issue.

Another reason for ballots to be rejected is the ballot was received too late. Voters must return their voted ballot by 8 p.m. on March 5 at any polling location, mail ballot drop‑box or the Registrar of Voters office. Ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day – Tuesday, March 5 – and received by Tuesday, March 12.

At a polling place, what types of activities are NOT permitted?

WARNING: ELECTIONEERING AND CORRUPTING THE VOTING PROCESS IS PROHIBITED. VIOLATIONS CAN LEAD TO FINES AND/OR IMPRISONMENT.

WHERE: Within the immediate vicinity of a person in line to cast their ballot or within 100 feet of the entrance of a polling place, curbside voting or drop box the following activities are prohibited.

WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE PROHIBITED:

DO NOT ask a person to vote for or against any candidate or ballot measure.
DO NOT display a candidate’s name, image, or logo.
DO NOT block access to or loiter near any ballot drop boxes.
DO NOT provide any material or audible information for or against any candidate or ballot measure near any polling place, vote center, or ballot drop box.
DO NOT circulate any petitions, including for initiatives, referenda, recall, or candidate nominations.
DO NOT distribute, display, or wear any clothing (hats, shirts, signs, buttons, stickers) that include a candidate’s name, image, logo, and/or support or oppose any candidate or ballot measure.
DO NOT display information or speak to a voter about the voter’s eligibility to vote.
DO NOT commit or attempt to commit election fraud.
DO NOT provide any sort of compensation or bribery to, in any fashion or by any means induce or attempt to induce, a person to vote or refrain from voting.
DO NOT illegally vote.
DO NOT attempt to vote or aid another to vote when not entitled to vote.
DO NOT engage in electioneering; photograph or record a voter entering or exiting a polling place; or obstruct ingress, egress, or parking.
DO NOT challenge a person’s right to vote or prevent voters from voting; delay the process of voting; or fraudulently advise any person that he or she is not eligible to vote or is not registered to vote.
DO NOT attempt to ascertain how a voter voted their ballot.
DO NOT possess or arrange for someone to possess a firearm in the immediate vicinity of a polling place, with some exceptions.
DO NOT appear or arrange for someone to appear in the uniform of a peace officer, guard, or security personnel in the immediate vicinity of a polling place, with some exceptions.
DO NOT tamper or interfere with any component of a voting system.
DO NOT forge, counterfeit, or tamper with the returns of an election.
DO NOT alter the returns of an election.
DO NOT tamper with, destroy, or alter any polling list, official ballot, or ballot container.
DO NOT display any unofficial ballot collection container that may deceive a voter into believing it is an official collection box.
DO NOT tamper or interfere with copy of the results of votes cast.
DO NOT coerce or deceive a person who cannot read or an elder into voting for or against a candidate or measure contrary to their intent.
DO NOT act as an election officer when you are not one.

EMPLOYERS cannot require or ask their employee to bring their vote by mail ballot to work or ask their employee to vote their ballot at work. At the time of payment of salary or wages, employers cannot enclose materials that attempt to influence the political opinions or actions of their employee.

PRECINCT BOARD MEMBERS cannot attempt to determine how a voter voted their ballot or, if that information is discovered, disclose how a voter voted their ballot.

The electioneering prohibitions summarized above are set forth in Article 7 of Chapter 4 of Division 18 of the California Elections Code.

The prohibitions on activity related to corruption of the voting process summarized above are set forth in Chapter 6 of Division 18 of the California Elections Code.

How will mail ballots be processed?

Your official mail ballot identification envelope has a barcode that identifies it as yours. When you return your voted ballot to the Registrar of Voters, your mail ballot envelope will be scanned on a mail sorting machine, capturing an image of your signature.

County staff will verify your signature on the mail ballot identification envelope compares to the signature on your voter registration record before the ballot is removed from the envelope and counted with other mail ballots with high-speed, accurate scanners. How you vote remains confidential as there is nothing on the ballot itself that identifies it as yours.

If your signature does not compare to the signature on file with your voter registration or you forget to sign your ballot identification envelope, the Registrar of Voters will notify you by mail, attempt to reach you by phone or email, and provide you with an opportunity to resolve the issue.

Who verifies and counts mail ballots?

The Registrar of Voters staff and trained temporary staff (hired for each election) are responsible for processing and counting mail ballots. All personnel handling this process must pass background checks and receive training.

How do I know my votes were counted accurately?

The Registrar of Voters processes are transparent and open for observation, including:

Testing of the voting system equipment used to count ballots prior to their use in the election
Examination of signatures on the mail ballot identification envelopes
Removal of the ballots from the envelopes
Counting of the ballots on high-speed, accurate ballot scanners
Hand-counting of at least one percent of the precincts and one percent of the mail ballots to audit the accuracy of the scanners
Testing of the voting system equipment used to count ballots after their use in the election

Once you cast your ballot at a polling place or it is removed from your mail ballot identification envelope, it cannot be identified as your specific ballot. Your ballot does not contain information to identify it as yours to ensure your vote remains confidential. The Registrar of Voters only tracks that you voted in the election and the method you used to cast your ballot. Neither the Registrar of Voters nor anyone else will know the votes you marked on your ballot for a candidate or measure.

How does the Registrar of Voters prevent voters from casting more than one ballot?

If a voted mail ballot is returned after a voter has already voted at the Registrar of Voters office, an Early Vote site, or a polling place, the ballot sorter recognizes and rejects the second ballot. If a voter attempts to vote in person after returning a voted mail ballot, election workers will check-in the voter using an electronic roster (or Poll Pad) that will identify whether the voter has already voted in the election. If the voter states he or she has not voted in this election, the voter may cast a provisional ballot, and County staff will research the voter’s participation in the election before accepting or rejecting the provisional ballot.

Attempting to vote more than once is a crime punishable by up to three years in prison. Voters who attempt to vote more than once in an election will be referred to the San Bernardino County District Attorney for investigation and potential prosecution.

How can I be sure the election results are accurate?

San Bernardino County uses a voting system certified by the California Secretary of State. Pursuant to the California Elections Code, section 19202, “A voting system, in whole or in part, shall not be used unless it has been certified or conditionally approved by the Secretary of State prior to any election at which it is to be used.” As a result, the State has developed one of the most strenuous voting system testing and certification programs in the country (https://votingsystems.cdn.sos.ca.gov/cert-and-approval/review-testing-overview.pdf). At the local level, California counties are required to abide by stringent sets of rules and regulations regarding implementation and use of a voting system.

All voting systems undergo extensive testing prior to certification, which includes;

Examination and testing of system software
Software source code review and evaluation
Hardware and software security penetration testing
Hardware testing under conditions simulating the intended storage, operation, transportation, and maintenance environments
Inspection and evaluation of system documentation
Operational testing to validate system performance and functioning under normal and abnormal conditions

Pursuant to the California Elections Code section 19205, “no part of a voting system shall be connected to the internet at any time, or electronically receive or transmit election data through any exterior communications network.” The voting systems used in California, including the one used in San Bernardino County, do not connect to the internet.

What is being done to protect my vote from a cyberattack?

Maintaining cybersecurity and the integrity of elections is always a top priority. State and federal agencies evaluate our systems and offer the latest best practices in technology and processes to ensure the integrity of this election. As a result, we have implemented stronger cybersecurity measures, and continually evaluate and upgrade our systems.

Can a “bad actor” change election results without detection?

No. The County tests the accuracy of our voting system software and equipment three separate times each election:

Before voting begins, pre-marked test ballots are run through the ballot scanners to make sure they total the votes accurately.
During the election canvass period, the paper ballots from at least one percent of the precincts and one percent of the mail ballots are randomly selected and hand-counted to audit the accuracy of the ballot scanners.
After the election results are certified, the pre-marked test ballots are run through the ballot scanners again to make sure they still total the votes accurately.

All three of these activities are observable by any member of the public.

In addition, the County’s voting system is not connected to the Internet or to the County’s wide area network, meaning it is air-gapped. There is no capability to remotely access, activate or alter the voting system. The equipment and software are air-gapped within the Registrar of Voters office in secured rooms. All counting of ballots and tallying of results is done in these secure rooms.

Vendors and County officials follow strict physical security and chain-of-custody requirements for all voting technology software, firmware, and hardware, all of which meet or exceed federal guidance including that of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Election Assistance Commission.

How will you keep mail ballot drop boxes secure?

Secure, accessible, and locked ballot boxes are made available for ballot drop-offs starting on February 5th through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Outdoor mail ballot drop boxes are made of heavy 18-huage steel; equipped with security features, such as minimal ballot insertion slots, and water and fireproof materials; locked; and bolted to concrete on the inside of the box to deter theft. Ballot drop-off locations are placed in areas that have higher public visibility, and ballots are picked up by official election workers on a regular basis for processing.

When will the election results in California be “certified?”

The Registrar of Voters must certify election results no later than April 4. The California Secretary of State is required to certify election results no later than April 12.

About San Bernardino County’s Voting System

How is the County’s voting system chosen?

The Registrar of Voters may only use voting technologies approved for use by the California Secretary of State. A list of voting technologies approved for use in California can be found on the Secretary of State’s website, here: https://votingsystems.cdn.sos.ca.gov/cert-and-approval/vote-sys-appr-in-ca-10-30-23.pdf

As with any County department, ROV must follow the County’s procurement rules when purchasing large items or entering into large contracts. The ROV and staff from other County departments evaluate the functionality of each voting system certified by the California Secretary of State.

Is the voting system connected to the internet?

San Bernardino County uses an air-gapped system in its ballot tabulation rooms, meaning the ballot counting equipment is never connected to the internet and is completely separated from any other network. There are no routers connected to the tabulation system and there never have been.

Why can’t the County hand count the ballots?

Assembly Bill 969 prohibits manual vote counting for most elections. However, during the canvass of every election, the Registrar of Voters hand counts ballots in at least one percent of the precincts and one percent of the voted mail ballots to audit the accuracy of the ballot scanners.

Why doesn’t the County buy different machines?

When the current voting system contract expires, the ROV will once again use the procurement process to request vendors of voting systems certified by the California Secretary of State to submit proposals for our voting system requirements.

About Voter Education

What is the County doing to make sure voters are educated about their options?

Getting the word out to all voters about the different voting options is a top priority.

A full public education campaign is being implemented by the County, working in collaboration with cities, the different political parties, local news media, and a variety of non-government organizations and nonprofits. Social media and traditional advertising will be used, as well as a pop-up voter education tour around San Bernardino County called the BallotMobile: Traveling Voter Education.

To receive a toolkit of voter education materials, contact Communications@rov.sbcounty.gov.

What is the BallotMobile?

The BallotMobile is a traveling voter education initiative designed to reach county voters and provide voter education materials. This traveling voter education program takes a novel approach to reaching all current and future voters in a large geographic county. The pop-up exhibit will travel to all 24 cities in San Bernardino County, plus additional county areas, in January and February 2024 in advance of the Presidential Primary Election.

Can I vote at the BallotMobile?

No. The BallotMobile does not offer any voting options. The BallotMobile provides voter education resources and materials such as brochures on the four ways to vote, voter registration cards, and election information. The BallotMobile is traveling as an extension of the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters and is not affiliated with any political party or campaign.

What is San Bernardino County doing to ensure voters have language assistance?

The Registrar of Voters provides language assistance in Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese to voters who would have difficulty voting in English without assistance.

Translated sample ballots are available in Chinese, Indonesian, Korean, Tagalog, Thai and Vietnamese at all Early Vote sites and polling places in San Bernardino County.
Bilingual poll workers will be available to provide language assistance at Early Vote sites and polling places.
- Review the Report of Poll Workers Assigned to find out which locations are scheduled to have on-site bilingual poll worker assistance.
- If your voting location does not offer on-site bilingual poll worker assistance, the poll workers can access translation services for you by phone.
For your convenience, you may request a translated sample ballot be mailed or emailed to you in advance:
- Indicate your language preference when you register or re-register to vote.
- Submit a request form, found at. https://elections.sbcounty.gov/elections/2024/0305/#TranslatedSampleBallot
- Call (800) 881-VOTE (8683) or (909) 387-8300.
- Requests should be submitted by Tuesday, February 27.
You may bring one or two people to assist you with marking your ballot.
All polling places offer translated sample ballots.
Spanish-speaking poll workers are available at all polling places
All voting materials are provided in both English and Spanish

Our Spanish-language website is available at https://elections.sbcounty.gov/es/. The Registrar of Voters is continuously working hard to provide additional Spanish-language documents, tools and applications on this website.

Why did I receive a ballot for someone in my household that passed away?

The Registrar of Voters (ROV) receives information on deceased voters when notified by the Department of Public Health, the SOS, or third-party notifications, such as the spouse of the deceased. When notified, ROV processes this information. ROV must be notified by one of these sources in order to process the deceased voter information. In the case of third-party notifications, prior to January 1, 2024, the ROV required the requestor to send additional information to ROV, such as a death certificate, to finalize the process. If additional documentation was not received, the voter record could not be removed from the voter rolls per mandate. On January 1, 2024, Assembly Bill (AB) 2841 took effect, providing ROV with a new process to confirm deceased records. Elections Code 2201(c)(1) now requires the ROV to send a notification to voters who have been identified as deceased. If the voter does not notify the Registrar of Voters within 15 days that we received incorrect information, the voter’s registration will be cancelled per Elections Code section 2201.

What do I do if I receive a ballot for someone that has passed away?

If you receive a ballot addressed to someone that has passed away, please notify the Registrar of Voters (ROV) by placing the mail back into the mailbox with the word “Deceased” written on the front of the envelope. Upon receipt, state law requires the ROV to send a notification to the address of the deceased voter to confirm that the correct individual has been identified. If the voter does not notify the Registrar of Voters within 15 days that the ROV received incorrect information, the voter’s registration will be cancelled per Elections Code section 2201.

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