Celebrities Rock the Vote Tuesday All Over Santa Cruz County

County Clerk Joins National Voter Registration Day Effort

On Tuesday, September 25, volunteers, celebrities, and organizations from all over the country will "hit the streets" for National Voter Registration Day. 

In Santa Cruz County, the County Clerk and elections staff will be outside in front of the county building from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. encouraging voters to “Register Before Dark.”

Voters may also come into the department located at 701 Ocean Street, Room 201 in Santa Cruz from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and fill out a voter registration card. Our four City Clerks in Capitola, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Watsonville are also joining in the effort and will have voter registration cards for voters to register at their offices during regular business hours. While the big push is for Tuesday, September 25, voters may register at the County Clerk/Elections Department or any of the City Clerk offices up until the final deadline of October 22.

The League of Women Voters of Santa Cruz County will also be out registering voters on Tuesday, September 25 for National Voter Registration Day at the following locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

• Downtown Santa Cruz on Pacific Garden Mall at Cooper Street
• Felton Farmer's Market
• Capitola Mall food court
• Cabrillo College in Aptos
• Cabrillo College Campus in Watsonville

In 2008, 6 million Americans did not vote because they did not know how to register or they missed their state's voter registration deadline, according to the US Census. In 2012, we want to make sure no American is left out.

To register to vote, persons must complete a voter registration affidavit form that includes, among other things, their name, address where they live, address where they get their mail, driver’s license number or last four digits of their social security card, and signature.  Forms are available at post offices, libraries, city halls, county offices, Department of Motor Vehicles, social service agencies, military recruitment offices, and most fire stations during regular office hours. Voters may also register to vote online thanks to a new program launched on September 19  by the Secretary of State’s Office. To register to vote online go to www.votescount.com or www.registertovote.ca.gov via your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

To be eligible to register and vote, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old on or before November 6, and not be in prison or in county jail (serving a state prison sentence or serving a term of more than one year in jail for a defined "low-level" felony), or on parole, post release community supervision, or post-sentencing probation for a felony conviction.

Voters should re-register if they do not remember voting within the last five years, have moved since last voting, or have changed their name.

For more information, please call the Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Department at 831-454-2060 or visit our website at www.votescount.com