According to Warren Slocum, Chief Elections Officer, “San Mateo County registered voters can check their mailboxes starting today for their copy of the newly redesigned Sample Ballot and Official Election Information Pamphlet.”

The newly designed election materials were the result of feedback from voters. “We listened to what voters liked and what areas could be improved in the presentation of voting materials and we implemented those suggestions,” Slocum said.

The new design is simple, easy to use and is vitally important for three reasons. First, the Sample Ballot provides registered voters with information about contests and measures each individual voter gets to vote on. For this election there are 60 different types of booklets depending on where a person lives.

Second, the pamphlet tells voters where to vote. Slocum noted that from election to election “we try to keep the same voting locations but sometimes unforeseen circumstances require us to make a change.”

And third, the pamphlet can be used to apply for a regular absentee ballot or a voter can sign up to be a permanent absentee voter. “More and more voters are choosing to become permanent absentee voters because it is so convenient and generally speaking people are extremely busy. The beauty of being a permanent absentee voter is that for each election the voting materials and an official ballot just arrive in the mailbox – no request is required. It greatly simplifies your life,” Slocum said.

There are 118,214 permanent absentee voters in the County and that represents approximately 33 % of the total number of registered voters (350,004).

Absentee ballots will begin to be mailed to voters on Oct. 11th. Voters can download a request for an absentee the county Web site at www.shapethefuture.org . To ensure sufficient processing time, the last day by law that the Elections Division may mail a voter-requested absentee ballot is Nov. 1st. Voters may also pick up an absentee ballot in the county elections office and the satellite office from Oct. 11 until Election Day, Nov. 8th.

The Elections Office is located at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo and the satellite office is located at 555 County Center, 1st Floor, Redwood City. The hours of both locations are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information on the upcoming election, visit the county elections Web site at www.shapethefuture.org.