Module 01.5 Voting Readiness for 36th Senate Primary Election

Responsibilities

• Read the following module 01.5 pages

• Read the official Voter Information Guide

Objectives

• Learn about voting, and California's Voter Bill of Rights.

• Learn about registering to vote and how and where to cast a ballot.

• Learn what is on the ballot for the upcoming 2025 special elections

01.5: The California Voter Guide

The Voter Information GuideLinks to an external site. about the coming special election is always mailed to each registered voter weeks ahead of the election. 

​Voter Guide information includes:​

• The California Voter Bill of RightsLinks to an external site.

• Election Day Information

• How to find your polling place

• How to check your voter status onlineLinks to an external site.

• California Election Security Safeguards Information

• How and where to cast a ballot

• And if Propositions are on the ballot:

  • the official title and summary,​

  • an independent analysis,​

  • arguments and rebuttals; and​

  • the full legal text of the measure

01.5: What's on the Ballot?

What's on the Ballot for the February 25, 2025 Special Election?

Four candidates are vying for a vacancy in the 36th District in the upcoming California State SenateLinks to an external site. Primary election.

Links to an external site.

What is the State Senate?Links to an external site.

​According to BallotpediaLinks to an external site., "The California State Senate meets in the state capitol building in Sacramento, California.  The California State Senate is the upper chamberLinks to an external site. of the California State LegislatureLinks to an external site..

Alongside the California State AssemblyLinks to an external site., it forms the legislative branch of the California state government and works alongside the governor of CaliforniaLinks to an external site. to create laws and establish a state budget.

Legislative authority and responsibilities of the California State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes."

Map of the 36th State Senate District

Geographic Map CA Senate District

Who are the Candidates in this Race?

According to the California elections chief, the Secretary of State, there are four candidates running for office.   They are listed here by alphabetic order of last name as well as their political party affiliation with their ballot description.:

• John BriscoeLinks to an external site., Republican, Business Owner/Broker

• Julie Diep, Democratic, Disability Rights Advocate

• Jimmy D. PhamLinks to an external site., Democratic, Attorney/Business Owner

• Tony Strickland,Links to an external site. Republican, Huntington Beach Councilman/Businessman

Here is a link with their campaign contact informationLinks to an external site..

What Do the Candidates Stand For?

This link to the official Voter GuideLinks to an external site., on the very last page of the PDF document, are the candidate's statements of their policy positions for review. 

Note:  One of the candidates in the race failed to provide a statement by the deadline.

Another source of information about the candidates stance on issues is a recent Orange County Register news articleLinks to an external site. which interviewed each candidate.

01.5: California Voter Registration & Voter Bill of Rights

Under our democracy's system of federalism, every state in the U.S.A. gets to be in charge of, and carry out, the elections within their territory.  Therefore many voter registration requirements have varied throughout U.S. history and often vary from state to state today.

The states in the U.S.A. set the rules for elections within their territory for federal and state office.  The mechanics of an election are carried out under the primary responsibility of local county Registrar of Voters offices.

What's Up with Georgia?

For instance, the State of Georgia was in the news a lot during 2021 because the state passed Links to an external site.a law into placeLinks to an external site. for this "swing" state. The law was sponsored by Republican lawmakers and places new limits on voting by mail. The law also gave Georgia lawmakers more power over how elections are administered and carried out, raising serious concerns given Georgia's long history of suppressing the right to voteLinks to an external site. for segments of the population. 

The State of California of today takes a vastly different approach to elections and voting compared to Georgia; working diligently over recent decades to enfranchise Americans.

California Efforts to Enable Voter Participation

• In 2002, the state removed all barriers for a voter to choose to vote by mail rather than in-person.

• During 2009 California passed a law enabling 17 year olds to pre-register to vote in California in preparation for when they turn eighteen.  Later, the state lowered the age even further to sixteen.; and

• Furthermore, in 2012, California became the 13th state in the nation to offer the ability to register to vote online.  Many states have made this transition to online voter registration as a cost savings and environmentally friendly in comparison to the more expensive and labor intensive voter registration method of paper and snail mail; and

• California created automatic voter registration at DMV offices; and

• California extended the number of days a ballot can be received in the mail for counting past election day (up to 14 days), giving voters a better chance to fix illegible or missing signatures on their ballot envelope; and

• In 2020, California extended voter registration by enacting same day registration (SDR), which allows any qualified citizen to go to register to vote and cast a ballot all in the same day and through election day; and

• In 2020, state parolees for felony convictions gained suffrage (the right to vote in state and local elections) with voter passage of Proposition 17Links to an external site..

• In 2021, Governor Newsom signed a law making permanent for all future state elections ballots to be mailed to every active registered voterLinks to an external site. in the state.

Voter registration refers to the process by which potential voters file necessary paperwork (either online or in hard copy) to legally cast a ballot. In other words, before someone can vote, they must seek out their opportunity to register to vote.

The onus on the citizenry to make the effort to register is derived from our core values of liberty and individualism.  Watch the following five minute lecture video explaining how America's core value of individualism comes into play.

California Goes Big on Registration and Turnout

As of September of 2024, California officially has on the voter rolls over 22 million active registered voters.  This translates into an astounding 82.9% of eligible voters as registeredLinks to an external site.; more than a 12% gain over the past twenty years.

According to Mindy Romero, founder and director of U.S.C.'s Center for Inclusive DemocracyLinks to an external site., three recent statewide elections in a row - 2016, 2018 and 2020 - successively led to higher voter turnout than in previous years.

In particular, voter turnout for the general election of 2020 was the highest percentage since 1952, and the third highest since 1910.  California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley WeberLinks to an external site. said at the time:

“Even in the midst of a devastating worldwide pandemic, nearly 17.8 million Californians cast their votes in the 2020 General Election, the largest voter turnout in almost 70 years.  We have demonstrated we can vote in great numbers no matter the challenge.  We should all be proud of this unwavering commitment to democracy."

California Voter Bill of Rights

We in California have our own Voter Bill of Rights.  For instance, did you know the California Elections Code section 14001 requires employers to post a notice to employeesLinks to an external site. advising them of provisions for taking paid leave for the purpose of voting in statewide elections?  Yes, it is the law and therefore a right for all California voters.

Watch this 2024 two minute video that explains voter rights and eligibility qualifications in "The Golden State:"

Next let's learn specifically how an eligible person may register to vote in California. --->

Additional Resource: What if Election Day was a National Holiday?

In 2021, a Democrat-backed U.S. Senate voting rights bill failed to move forward in the because it fell short to meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome an opposition filibuster. 

The bill, the Freedom to Vote ActLinks to an external site., tried to establish election day as a national public holiday and create minimum standards in all states for voter access to voting, which Democrats said would have improved voting access and election integrity.  The bill needed every Democrat in the Senate to support along with Vice President Harris as tie breaking vote.  In opposition, every Senate Republican lined up in oppose, they said no changes to election laws were necessary with record turnout over recent elections.

If you would like to learn more watch the following summary of the legislation and politics from PBS Newshour from 10/20/21:

Critical Thinking Question

Should Election Day become a national holiday, where Americans have the day off to go cast a ballot?  What do you think?

01.5: Registering to Vote

A 1998 provision in the U.S. federal law known as The Higher Education ActLinks to an external site. includes a requirement of colleges and universities to make a good faith effort to offer voter registration to all students.  Our campus website has page devoted to local voter and civic engagement (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..

As previously stated, the State of California sets the rules for all elections within the state, and those elections are carried out by county regional Registrar of Voters offices.

Click here to view a listing of, and links to, qualified political parties in CaliforniaLinks to an external site. for consideration.  Voters have the option to choose not to affiliate with a political party when they register.

Online Voter Registration, Right Here, Right Now

Eligibility to Vote:

• If you yourself are eligible to vote in the United States, you can right now use this link to register to vote online . 

• If you are either 16 or 17 years old at this time, you may pre-register to vote under California law. 

Voter Registration Deadlines:

• Online registration for the primary special election by Monday, Feb. 10th will ensure enough time for a ballot to be mailed to voters home address.

• After this date (2/10), those interested in registering to vote for this primary election can still register online but must visit a local Vote CenterLinks to an external site. to cast a ballot no later than 8pm on Tuesday, Feb. 25th.

Is Your Voter Registration Up to Date?

A voter may also use the aforementioned linksLinks to an external site. to update any needed changes to voter registration for the following reasons:

• a change in residential address; or

• name of voter has changed; or

• desire to change political partyLinks to an external site. affiliation; or change to no-party affiliation

01.5: Voting by Mail & Ballot Drop Boxes

Three Options to Cast a VoteLinks to an external site. in California:

There are three ways to vote in California:

1. in person;

2. or voting at home and placing in the U.S. mail (postage already paid),

3. or by placing a completed ballot in an official drop box. 

Voting by Mail in California and Orange County

By design, election day is more like a month, rather than a single date on the calendar.  This is largely because of the use of voting by mail.

As you may know, over recent decades California became very experienced with having citizen's vote by mail.  And by 2012, a majority of California voters were voting by mail, rather than going to election day-only polling stations.

Prior to the year 2020, voters in California had to put in an official request for their ballot to be sent to them by mail.  And if they were not voting by mail, they had to show up on election day at a polling place, to vote in-person, on or before election day (always on a Tuesday). The requirement to request a ballot was temporarily suspended for 2020 and 2021 California elections in response to health safety concerns from the contagious COVID-19 pandemic.

In September of 2021, a new law was signed by Governor Newsom to makes it permanent for all future state elections ballots to be mailed to every active registered voterLinks to an external site. in the state.  Thusly, state voters will continue to receive their customized voting ballot in the snail mail sent to their home address without having to ask for it. 

Voters responded positively to the convenience and safety of voting by mail as evidence by their turning in ballots for the 2020 with an acceptance rate of 99.5%, with the other half percent being ballots being rejected (at a historic low rate) because of lack of voter signatures, or signatures that don't match what's on file, or other problems.  The good news is California notifies those voters with problematic ballots, allowing them to visit a polling place to fix their ballot within eight days, so it can then be counted.

The benefits of voting at home by mail are numerous.  Voters get to fill out their customized paper ballot in the comfort of their own home and mail their completed postage pre-paid ballot back in the snail mail to the OC Registrar of Voters as shown in the following 45 second video:

The impact of every registered voter receiving their ballot in the mail was quite astounding for the November, 2020 general election where over nearly 18 million California voters cast a ballotLinks to an external site..  This record number of voters constituted 80.67% of registered voters, and 70.88% of those of the population who were eligible to vote.  A tremendous increase in voter turnout over recent decades.

Of those who voted, 86.65% of votes in the 2020 General Election were cast using vote-by-mail ballotsLinks to an external site. and the remaining were voters who cast a ballot in person at a voting center/polling place.

These statistics were mirrored nationally, with nearly 7 in 10 American casting their ballots before election day in November, 2020.

Accessible Vote-by-Mail Ballot

A new law in California went into effect in 2021 which allows any voter with physical challenges, to cast a ballot by downloading a ballot to the voter's computer, marked using the voter's own computer or assistive technology, then printed and returned by following the instructions provided.

To access a Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail ballot visit this link to the California Secretary of State's websiteLinks to an external site..

The following two minute video explains how remote accessibility enables voting for those with physical challenges:

Official Drop Boxes for Ballots

If voters prefer a more direct method of sending in their ballot, a voter may utilize the Registrar of Voters' convenient official Drop Box locations.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters provides a mapping tool for voters to locate nearby official Drop Boxes and nearby U.S. Postal Office boxes for voter use (Links to an external site.).

Same Day Voter Registration

What if a qualified person wants to vote in a fast approaching election but missed the deadline for online voter registration?  The good news is this person can still register and vote in time for the election, by exercising their right to Same Day Voter Registration, also known as "Conditional Voter Registration," by going to visit a Vote Center up through election day to register to vote, and vote right there and then.

According to the California Secretary of State's office, "Conditional voter registration extends the existing 15-day registration deadline in California to eligible voters, allowing them to register and vote provisionally 14 days prior to an election and on Election Day."

In the 2020 general election, nearly 270K Californians took advantage of Same Day Voter RegistrationLinks to an external site. in the final 14 days of that election.

To learn about Same Day Voter Registration and "Provisional" voting, watch the following one minute video from the year 2020:

Where exactly may voters vote in person and received other voter services in person like "same day voting?" 

01.5: Vote Centers

Each of the 58 counties in California carry out elections.  Therefore, when we vote in an election here locally, the Orange County Registrar of Voters Links to an external site.is in charge of the election process from start to finish.

Each county registrar opens "Vote Centers"Links to an external site. (formerly known as polling places) to assist voters in person with registration and a whole range of services, including:

• replacement ballots if a ballot is damaged or lost;

• accessible voting machines;

• same day voter registration with voting

• and language assistance to those who need it.

Again, a mapping tool is available for voters to find their nearest Orange County Vote Center or Drop BoxLinks to an external site., with the hours and days of availability.

Watch this 1.5 minute video to learn about O.C. vote centers services:

Next learn how voters can track their ballot to make sure it arrives and is counted at a county registrar of voters office.  ----

01.5: Track Your Ballot

How to Track Your Ballot

After casting a ballot, how can the voter find out if their ballot arrived to the Registrar of Voters?  There's a tracking tool for that which allows voters to track their mail-in-ballots step by step through the mailing and vote counting process.

Any California voter can sign-up at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov (Links to an external site.) to receive automated notifications about their vote-by-mail ballots by email, text (SMS), or voice call.

Here locally in Orange County the local registrar's office calls this tracking tool "OC Ballot Express (Links to an external site.)" but it's the same thing as Where's My Ballot.

Voters who sign up for tracking alerts will receive automatic updates from the county elections office detailing when:

1. Mailed their ballot.

   • Received their ballot.

   • Counted their ballot.

   • Has any issues with their ballot.

In addition, voters who sign up for tracking also receive communications from their county elections office about important election deadlines and critical updates, such as vote center hours and location changes.

Watch the following 1.5 minute video to learn the steps and benefits of tracking a ballot:

Learn next about how votes get tallied (counted) by elections officials