San Mateo County has begun mailing sample ballots and voter information pamphlets to registered voters ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Chief Elections Officer Mark Church announced that the county Registration & Elections Division is sending pamphlets to all registered voters. Each arrives in the voter's preferred language: English, Spanish, Chinese or Filipino.

"Voters indicate their language preference when they register to vote," Church said.

San Mateo city residents will find two citywide ballot measures in their pamphlets. Measure H is a quarter-cent sales tax proposal. Measure F covers charter amendments. City Council seats in Districts 1, 3 and 5 are also on the ballot, according to the city's election page. District 1 features Taso Zografos and Lisa Diaz Nash. District 3 has Seema Patel and Rob Newsom Jr. running. District 5 has three candidates: Dave Johnson, Adam Loraine and Dana Yates Sahae.

Early voting starts Oct. 5

Three Vote Centers countywide open Monday, Oct. 5, for in-person voting: the county Registration & Elections Division at 40 Tower Road and the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder's office at 555 County Center, both in Redwood City, and the South San Francisco Public Library at 901 Civic Campus Way, according to the county's Vote Center flyer. All three are open weekdays starting that date and expand to seven-day-a-week hours beginning Saturday, Oct. 24. Each will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, for Indigenous Peoples' Day/Columbus Day.

Five additional Vote Centers in San Mateo open Saturday, Oct. 31, and run through Election Day. Those locations are:

  • City Hall Conference Room C, 330 W. 20th Ave.
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Social Room B, 725 Monte Diablo Ave.
  • San Mateo Public Library, Oak Room, 55 W. 3rd Ave.
  • Hilton Garden Inn San Mateo, Orchid I, 2000 Bridgepointe Circle
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant Training Room, 2050 Detroit Drive

Vote Centers are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Monday, Nov. 2. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, hours run 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Hours vary by location, and the city's voter guide advises checking each site before visiting.

Mail ballots and drop boxes

All registered county voters will also receive a Vote by Mail ballot in October. Voters can return it using the postage-paid envelope, at a drop box or in person at any Vote Center.

San Mateo drop box locations include:

  • County Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road (indoor and outdoor, drive-up)
  • City Hall, 330 W. 20th Ave. (indoor and outdoor, drive-up)
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 725 Monte Diablo Ave. (outdoor, drive-up)
  • Parkside Aquatic Park, 1595 Seal St. (outdoor)
  • College of San Mateo, 1700 W. Hillsdale Blvd. (outdoor, drive-up)

Voters who are visually impaired can request an audio version of the pamphlet by calling 888-SMC-VOTE (888-762-8683). A screen-reader-friendly version is available at the county elections website, smcvote.gov, under "My Election Info."

For questions about the Nov. 3 election, voters can call or text (650) 312-5222.