Politics & Government
CA's Nov. 4 Election: What's On The Ballot, How To Cast Your Vote In Encinitas
As of Oct. 20, there were 2,019,776 registered voters in San Diego County.
ENCINITAS, CA — Californians will cast their votes on Tuesday, Nov. 4 and decide on a single ballot measure: Proposition 50.
The proposal could allow the state to redraw its congressional maps before the next census, potentially giving Democrats a chance to flip the U.S. House of Representatives back to blue next year.
Are you registered to vote? Do you know where your local polling areas are? Finding Prop 50 confusing? Patch has you covered.
Find out what's happening in Encinitasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Here's your guide to the Nov. 4 Statewide Special Election in California.
What's on the ballot?
Proposition 50, the lone measure on the ballot, was championed by Democrats and Gov. Gavin Newsom after a chain of events that began in Texas over the summer.
Find out what's happening in Encinitasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It has been characterized as a direct response to a gerrymandering push backed by President Donald Trump in Texas aimed at bolstering his party's chance at keeping control of Congress.
Back in July, Trump directed Texas Gov. Greg Abbot to redistrict his state in the middle of the decade in order to scrounge up another five Republican congressional districts, which would bolster the GOP's odds of keeping their hold over Congress after the midterm election.
After that measure was signed into law by Abbot on Aug. 29, Newsom and state democrats when tit-for-tat, devising their own plan to redraw California's district maps, which could result in Democrats winning five new seats.
That proposal, unlike the one drawn by Texas Republicans and other states, will go before voters, who will decide if the state can move forward with redrawing maps.
“In other states, lawmakers just passed it despite hundreds of people showing up to hearings to say ‘please don’t redraw our maps,’” Matt Barreto, a UCLA political scientist, told Patch. “In California, voters are being asked directly.”
However, it is important to note that Democrats will not automatically receive those seats if Prop 50 is approved. That work will come later.
“These are just district boundary proposals. You still need strong candidates to compete in each district," Barreto said.
If Democrats take control of the House, they could block much of Trump’s legislative agenda and launch several investigations into his administration, which is the end goal Newsom and other Democrats are gunning for.
A "yes" on Prop 50 means the state would use new congressional maps drawn by the legislature that would take effect in 2026. A "no" means current congressional district maps drawn by the California's independent commission would be used until that same commission draws new maps following the 2030 U.S. Census.
Barreto urged that the measure is complex, and voters should research how it could change their districts or representatives.
"It is a complex issue, though. You have to do a little bit of research. You have to check how it affects your district. You have to check if you’re going to be getting a new member of Congress as a result of this map and if you support that. "
Meanwhile, Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, told Patch that he's concerned voters still may not fully understand what they’re approving.
“The yes side has really obfuscated the issue through a massive media effort. I don’t think people understand that they’re actually voting for specific maps," he said. "Their new representative may live 300 miles away from where they reside.”
Read more about the measure here.
How do I cast my vote?
Ballot drop-off locations for early voting opened on Oct. 7. Find yours here. Want to vote in person? Find your polling place here.
According to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, ballots are collected regularly from drop boxes.
When the polls close on Election Day, all drop boxes shall be locked or covered at 8 p.m. and elections officials are expected to retrieve as many ballots as practical before 11:59 p.m.
Where to vote in-person in and around Encinitas
Voters can visit any vote center in the county. Vote centers are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
Encinitas - 92024
- Encinitas Community Center - Maple Room - 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive
See a full list of vote centers here.
How do I track my ballot?
Whether you dropped your ballot at a dropbox, through the mail or in-person at a vote center, you’ll be able to see when your ballot is accepted through the state’s tool, which was created in 2020.
Just provide your legal first and last name, date of birth and your current zip code. The site will then prompt you to set up text and email alerts.
Once you’re in, you will be able to see your “current mail ballot status.” Scroll down and you’ll also see your previous mail ballots and whether they were cast in-person.
How can I register to vote?
The last day to register to vote for Statewide Special Election was Oct. 20, but eligible residents who missed that deadline to register may complete a "same day" voter registration process from now until Election Day.
This can be done at your local county elections office or at any in-person vote center within the county you live in.
Conditional Voter Registration is described as a “safety net” for eligible residents who need to register at the last minute, according to the California Secretary of State's office. These ballots are processed and counted once the county election office has completed the process of verifying the registration.
On Nov. 4, residents will be able to access same-day voter registration and cast their ballots between 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you are voting for the first time after registering to vote by mail and you did not provide your driver's license number, California ID number or the last four digits of your social security number on your registration form, you may asked to show a form of ID when you arrive at the polls, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
If this is the case, bring a form of ID with you or include a copy of it with your vote-by-mail ballot.
Find your polling place here.
Who's registered to vote in California and San Diego County?
As of Oct. 20, there were 23,093,274 Californians registered to vote — about 84.8% of eligible voters. More than 44% of those voters registered Democratic, while 25% registered Republican. More than 22% registered with no party preference, according to the state.
In San Diego County, 2,019,776 were registered to vote. Of those voters, 816,702 (40.44%) registered Democrat while 560,516 (27.75%) registered Republican.
MORE ELECTION COVERAGE:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
