San Mateo residents can start casting ballots Oct. 5 for the Nov. 3 general election, with six vote centers and five ballot drop boxes spread across the city.
Three City Council seats, in Districts 1, 3 and 5, are on the ballot. So are two citywide measures listed on the city's ballot measure page: Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax, and Measure F, a package of charter amendments. It is the city's second by-district council election since the switch from at-large races in 2022.
Three ways to vote
The city's official voting guide lists three options: return a mail ballot in the postage-paid envelope, drop it at a secured box, or vote in person at any San Mateo County vote center.
The San Mateo County Registration & Elections Division at 40 Tower Road is the first location to open. It begins operating as a vote center on Oct. 5, weekdays only, then expands to seven days a week starting Oct. 24. The office will be closed Oct. 12 for Indigenous Peoples' Day/Columbus Day.
Five additional vote centers open Oct. 31 and run through Election Day:
- City Hall, Conference Room C, 330 W. 20th Ave.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Social Room B, 725 Monte Diablo Ave.
- Main Library, Oak Room, 55 W. 3rd Ave.
- Hilton Garden Inn San Mateo, Orchid 1, 2000 Bridgepointe Circle
- Wastewater Treatment Plant, Training Room, 2050 Detroit Drive
Through Nov. 2, vote centers are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Election Day, hours extend to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Drop box locations
Five secured drop boxes are available in San Mateo:
- County 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)
Hours vary by location. The city advises voters to check each site before visiting.
Registration and resources
Under California law, voters must register at least 15 days before Election Day, putting the standard deadline at Oct. 19. After that date, voters can conditionally register and cast a provisional ballot at any vote center through Nov. 3, according to Ballotpedia.
The City Clerk's Office at 330 W. 20th Ave. provides registration forms Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The full countywide list of vote centers and drop boxes is available at smcacre.gov/elections or by calling the San Mateo County Elections Division at (650) 312-5222.
San Mateo's Generation Voter program is running an "I Voted" sticker design contest open to residents of all ages. The submission deadline is Sept. 30, and winning designs will appear at all city voting locations on Election Day.
