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For the next week or so, ballots will be arriving at homes across California for the June 2 primary.<\/p>\n
Since 2020, a ballot has been mailed to every active registered voter in the state \u2013 more than 23 million at last count. The time of choosing is approaching.<\/p>\n
In addition to the governor’s race, Californians will vote in several congressional, legislative and local races, including seven other statewide offices, the Board of Equalization \u2014 which oversees the property tax system \u2014 and the primary for mayor of Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
What is a voter to do?<\/p>\n
If you’ve waited your whole life for a candidate like Republican Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, running for governor, or you’ve been eager to cast a gubernatorial ballot for Democrat Katie Porter since the moment she took out her famous whiteboard, the choice is easy. Fill out that ballot and put it in the mail, stat! No postage required.<\/p>\n
“Don’t mess up,” said veteran Democratic campaign strategist Paul Maslin. (His candidate for governor, Betty Yee, left the race late last month, so he’s a neutral observer at this point.)<\/p>\n
“If you know exactly what you want to do,” Maslin urged, “vote.”<\/p>\n
But what if, like many people, you’re not married to a particular candidate? What if you’re worried about mailing in your ballot and then having some terrible, Eric Swalwell-like revelations come out, or if you’re worried about wasting your vote by supporting someone who dropped off a ballot before June 2?<\/p>\n
There is no change in the California election. Once you cast your vote, you make your choice. No matter how sorry you are, that’s it.<\/p>\n
That’s why Republican strategist Rob Stutzman, who has worked in California politics for decades, urged voters not to mail their ballots too early. Like Maslin, he is unaffiliated with any gubernatorial campaign.<\/p>\n
“This is a slow-developing race,” Stutzman said of the contest for governor, which was a major attraction in June voting. “These are still relatively little-known candidates. There’s even more campaigning to be done in the coming weeks. (So) unless you feel really strongly about anyone, I would hang on to that ballot and see what happens over the next several weeks.”<\/p>\n
So then, with all the talk of banning mail-in ballots and concerns about delays in processing by an extended-stretched Postal Service, is there a danger of waiting too long to vote? What happens if your ballot arrives before the tally deadline? <\/p>\n
In March, the US Supreme Court strongly hinted at the possibility that mail ballots would need to be received by Election Day if they are to be legally counted. As it stands, California accepts mail-in ballots that were cast before the end of Election Day, as long as they arrive seven days later.<\/p>\n
It seems likely that the court will not be able to issue its decision before the June primary \u2013 but that is not guaranteed.<\/p>\n
So is there a happy difference between voting in a hurry and having your ballot ruined?<\/p>\n
The official voter information guide, produced by the California Secretary of State, urges those voting by mail to “return your ballot as soon as it is received.”<\/p>\n