CVF-News Roundup: last-minute voting tips, introducing CVF's new Program Manager!

By Kim Alexander
June 6, 2022

Hi Folks,

Happy Election Eve! This edition of CVF-News provides some last-minute tips for voting in the June 7th California Primary Election. I am also thrilled to introduce CVF's new Program Manager, Samantha Abelove, who starts her new position with CVF today! 

-- Kim Alexander, President & Founder

California Voter Foundation

Tuesday is the final day to vote in the California June 7th Primary and many are wondering the same thing - where the heck did I put that vote-by-mail ballot I received?


Last-Minute Tips for California Primary Voters

If you are unable to locate the ballot all registered voters were automatically issued for this election, you can go to a voting site in your county and request a ballot there. Your elections office will count that ballot once they verify the one you were issued was not cast. If you have your vote-by-mail ballot in hand but have not turned it in yet, you can return it to a drop box or voting site on June 7th, or you can mail it through the U.S. Postal Service. Please be sure to verify your ballot is postmarked on June 7th to ensure it will be counted. Also don't forget to sign your ballot envelope. You can also cast an in-person ballot if you prefer - check out CVF's Map of 2022 In-Person Voting Options to learn if your county is providing neighborhood polling places or county-wide vote centers this election. 

If you are having trouble deciding how to vote on the numerous contests on the ballot, consult CVF's nonpartisan California Online Voter Guide to access reliable resources, especially Voters Edge from Maplight and the League of Women Voters, which provides detailed information, endorsements, campaign promises and top donors for many of the federal, state and local candidates on California ballots. As a reminder, it's OK to leave some contests blank if you are unsure how you want to vote.

Unsure of your voter registration status? You can check if you are registered to vote at your current address through the Secretary of State's lookup tool. If you're not registered you can still go to a voting site in your county and register and vote on Election Day. You can also check if your vote-by-mail ballot has been issued or if your voted ballot has been received. Additionally, there are also lookup tools to help you find your nearest voting site or ballot drop box. Visit CVF's Online Voter Tools - Check Your Status page for links to all these great resources.

Do you have other last-minute voting questions? Contact your county election office and they can help you. You'll find an updated Directory of County Election Offices on CVF's web site.

Election results will begin to be posted on the Secretary of State's web site after voting sites close Tuesday, June 7th at 8 pm. It may take days or even weeks for close contests to be decided since it takes more time to process vote-by-mail ballots and many voters are waiting until the last minute to cast their ballots. 


Meet Samantha Abelove, CVF's new Program Manager!

CVF's new Program Manager is Samantha Abelove, a resident of Orange County who is passionate about democracy, system change and societal progress. Samantha brings a background in voter participation barriers, social equity and nonprofit leadership to her new role. She received a Master of Public Administration, with a specialization in Nonprofit Management from USC Sol Price School of Public Policy in 2020. Her capstone research examined the barriers and constraints housing-insecure citizens experience during the voting process. From her research, she found that these barriers and constraints are not unique to homeless citizens and significantly impact various marginalized groups.

Prior to working for CVF, Samantha held several positions at UCLA. Most recently, Samantha was a Grant Analyst with the Office of Contract and Grant Administration where she reviewed proposals for grants and cooperative agreements for compliance with institutional policies and managed awards from a diverse set of federal and nonprofit sponsors. Samantha received her BA in Politics and International Relations, with a minor in Religious Studies from Scripps College. During her time at Scripps, she worked in two local elected officials’ offices and interned for a human rights organization in Central America. She can be reached at samantha.abelove@calvoter.org or on Twitter at @samabelove. 


About the California Voter Foundation

The California Voter Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working through research, oversight, outreach and demonstration projects to improve the election process so that it better serves the needs and interests of voters. CVF-News is a free, electronic newsletter featuring news and updates about the California Voter Foundation's projects and activities.

Support CVF's work with a tax-deductible contribution!