Let me vote!
Yesterday it suddenly occurred to me that I haven’t received my sample ballot in the mail yet, and frantically called a bunch of my LA-based friends to see if they’d gotten theirs.
Most had — which made me think that my recent move to Santa Monica caused the probs. So I called the LA County Registrar of Voters: Dial 800.815.2666, then press 3 to “verify voter status or inquire about a sample ballot.”
A woman took my name and verified that I was registered — and that my sample ballot had been sent to my old address :(
Her: “You need to fill out a new voter registration form when you move.”
Me: “Really? I thought I could just fill out a new DMV Change of Address form and my voting address would get updated…”
Her: “Um, no. You need to fill out a new voter registration form. You can find them at the post office or library…”
Why did I think I could just fill out the DMV Change of Address Form? I quote here the second item on the form (PDF):
Voter Change of Address: We will change your address if you have moved and still live in the same county. If you have moved to a new county or are not registered to vote, you must complete a new voter registration card.
Somewhere in the DMV or the LA County Registrar of voters, something’s gone wrong…
In any case, it’s clearly too late for me to vote at my new Santa Monica precinct — so voting info on green LA girl will be specified for zip 90035… And I plan to take the #7 Big Blue Bus to vote on June 6 :)
And the next time I move, even if I’m a registered voter moving within LA County, I’ll be sure to fill out a new voter registration card.
Don’t fret - I think you can still vote in your current neighborhood, although only your votes for countywide and statewide measures will count, and you won’t be able to vote measures that are local to your old address.
Regarding the DMV, the availability of voter registration forms is a bit of a compromise, as the Republican platform doesn’t think the forms should be there at all - they throw a hissy fit over allowing change of voter change of addresses to be combined with your updated Drivers License info (I presume this makes it more difficult for politicans to be able to claim residence in one neighborhood but pay taxes in another area where they have only a PO Box, or some such scam).
Comment by David Markland — May 29, 2006 @ 11:51 am
Hey David :) I’m gonna just go get my ballot at my old address, just so I can get more say in what’s going on, even if it’s less relevant to my new hood.
We gotta do something about this DMV / voter registration mix-up. It’s a voter rights issue! :o Where to start…
Comment by Siel — May 31, 2006 @ 7:20 pm