San Francisco

San Francisco Opens 34 Official Ballot Drop Boxes for Nov. 8 Election

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San Francisco has opened 34 official ballot drop boxes for the Nov. 8 election in various locations across the city.

Ballot drop boxes will remain open through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Any voter may choose to use an official ballot drop box in San Francisco to return their vote-by-mail ballot or the ballot of another California voter who has authorized them to do so.

A list of ballot drop box locations can be found at sfelections.sfgov.org. The list is also printed on pages 8-9 of the city's voter information pamphlet.

"Using an official ballot drop box is a convenient and secure way to return your vote-by-mail ballot," said Department of Elections Director John Arntz, in a statement. "Since all ballot drop boxes will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until 8 p.m. on Nov. 8, voters can cast their ballots at whatever time is most convenient for them."

The ballots will be collected regularly by deputy sheriffs and authorized elections department staff and taken directly to the Department of Elections to maintain a continuous chain of custody until the votes are counted.

Drop boxes re designed to be seen easily, bearing an American flag and the official seal of the City and County of San Francisco and clearly marked as an "Official Ballot Drop Box."

Each box is located outdoors, on an accessible path of travel, and features a ballot deposit slot positioned to provide maximally convenient access to voters using wheelchairs.

Voters can also return their vote-by-mail ballots by mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). To search for convenient locations of USPS boxes and pickup times, voters can go to usps.com/locator. To be counted ballots returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Election Day, November 8 and received by the Department by November 15.

Voters can also return vote-by-mail ballots to the city hall voting center (open weekdays starting Oct. 11, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., on the two weekends immediately before Election Day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and on Election Day, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) They can also be returned at any of the city's 501 polling places on Election Day.

To be counted ballots returned in-person must be dropped off no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 8.

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