All Sacramento County Voters Will Get Mail-In Ballots Under New System

Polling places are now a thing of the past in Sacramento and four other California counties. 

This week marks the first time every registered voter in Sacramento County will be getting vote-by-mail ballots. It's a new way of voting called the Vote Center model.

"This is not a pilot. This is the new way of voting in Sacramento County," said Sacramento County's Interim Registrar of Voters Alice Jarboe.

"You can return it by mail. It will take two stamps because it's a pretty big ballot," Jarboe said. "Or voters can drop it off at any of our 53 drop box locations. And then beginning May 26, we will have Vote Centers open."

Only Sacramento, Madera, Napa, Nevada and San Mateo counties are going with the new Vote Center model. Jarboe said the goal is to increase voter participation.

So far, she said voter feedback is split. Some people are excited about voting by mail, others are concerned about losing their poling place.

"I remind people that they're not losing a polling place, they're gaining a vote center," Jarobe said. "So there will still be in-person voting opportunities. Voters can pick any of the Vote Centers to vote at. And we have the technology now that allows us to print their ballot on-site when they show up."

And she says you'll still be able to get "I Voted" stickers too. Jarboe says they'll be available at both the drop box locations and vote centers.