It’s almost time to head to the polls. Tuesday is the Presidential Primary Election, and Californians will be voting on presidential candidates, county supervisors, and congressional seats.
Polls across the state will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Once polls close, the county will begin reporting results. County staff will conduct a semifinal official canvass of votes and report the results every two hours to the Secretary of State until all the votes are counted.
April 4 is the last day for county officials to certify results.
Feb. 20 was the last day for Californians to register to vote, but if they missed the deadline California does have same-day voter registration. Those who want to check their voter registration status can do so here.
For voters voting by mail, the ballots must be postmarked before or on Election Day. Once the ballot is signed and sealed, voters can drop off their ballot at one of these locations. There are 30 drop-off boxes throughout the county open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Click here to receive updates on when your ballot is mailed, received and counted.
If a voter loses a ballot, didn’t receive one, or if it’s destroyed, they can fill out an application for a replacement ballot. Santa Barbara voters can request an application from the county elections office by phone, email or fax. Voters can only request a replacement ballot application for themselves, according to the California Secretary of State website.
Where to Find Election Results
The first polling place results will be posted on the county elections website at 9 p.m. on Tuesday. After 9 p.m., results will be updated throughout the night as ballots are received from various polling places. Once all the votes are counted, a semi-official summary of the results will be posted on the county elections website.
Noozhawk will also be sharing results throughout Tuesday night after the polls close as results become available.
Who’s on the Ballot?
Because 2024 is a presidential election year, ballots are printed based on voter party preference and county supervisorial district. The first, third and fourth district seats in Santa Barbara County are all up for grabs this year.
In the first district, Carpinteria city councilmember Roy Lee is running against incumbent Das Williams.
In the third district, incumbent Joan Hartmann is up against two challengers: Lompoc Mayor Jenelle Osborne and businessman Frank Troise.
In the fourth district, incumbent Bob Nelson is running against Krishna Flores.
Thomas Cole and Helena Pasquarella are running against incumbent Salud Carbajal for the 24th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
For state Assembly District 37, Sari Domingues is running as a Republican against Democratic incumbent Gregg Hart.
Santa Barbara city residents will notice Measure A on their ballots, which, if passed, would change the city’s charter so that Public Works doesn’t have to pick the lowest bidder for construction projects.