News

The Department of Elections Encourages Voters to Return Their Mail Ballots by March 5

February 21, 2024

Department of Elections

City and County of San Francisco

John Arntz, Director

For Immediate Release

SAN FRANCISCO, Wednesday, February 21, 2024 – The Department of Elections completed the mailing of vote-by-mail ballot packets for the March 5, 2024, Consolidated Presidential Primary Election to all locally registered voters. To be counted, such ballots must be returned by March 5.  

Any registered voter who has not received their vote-by-mail ballot packet is urged to call (415) 554-4375, write to sfvote@sfgov.org, or navigate to the “Request a Replacement Ballot” tab at sfelections.org/voterportal to request ballot redelivery. Vote-by-mail ballot packets are not forwardable so a voter must notify the Department if, for any reason, they want their ballot to be mailed to a different address temporarily (for any given election).

“The Department of Elections has finished mailing March 5 election vote-by-mail ballot packets to all registered voters,” said Director John Arntz.  “Now, I want to remind everyone who plans to return their mail ballot to do so by March 5 and to remember to sign the envelope. Voters have several safe and secure return options – they can return their ballot by mail or by hand delivery.”

Every San Francisco voter may choose to vote in person or to return their mail ballot in any of the following ways:

  • Via a bona fide mail carrier (e.g., USPS) – San Francisco’s ballot return envelopes are postage-paid so no stamp is required if returning the ballot through USPS. For the ballot inside a return envelope to be counted, the envelope must be signed by the voter, postmarked by Election Day, March 5, 2024, and received by the Department within a week of Election Day. To find a convenient USPS box and see pickup times, voters can visit usps.com/locator.
  • Via an official ballot drop box - All of San Francisco’s 37 official ballot drop boxes are locked, clearly marked, and will be available 24 hours up through 8 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024. Department staff work with Sheriff’s Department personnel to make regular ballot collections at all 37 ballot drop boxes. To find a convenient official ballot drop off location, voters can visit sfelections.org/ballotdropoff.
  • Via an in-person voting site – All of San Francisco’s 501 neighborhood polling places will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day, March 5, 2024. In addition, the City Hall Voting Center will be open and staffed with multilingual representatives every day between now and Election Day. To learn more about voting in person, voters can visit sfelections.org/inpersonvoting.

Any local voter may track the status of their mail ballot and/or confirm their ballot has been accepted for counting at sfelections.org/voterportal. The online Voter Portal will also provide the voter notice of any issues preventing ballot acceptance (for example, an unsigned ballot envelope), most of which the voter can easily resolve.

For more information about the March 5 primary election, please contact the Department at (415) 554-4375, write to sfvote@sfgov.org, or visit the Department’s office in City Hall, Room 48. Anyone interested can also sign up to receive official news, updates, and public notices from the Department at sfelections.org/trustedinfo.  

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Department of Elections

City and County of San Francisco

1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 48

San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 554-4375

sfelections.org