DETAILS ABOUT THE PROP. CALIFORNIA COUNTIES ONLY HAD A FEW MONTHS TO GET UP AND RUNNING FOR THE SPECIAL ELECTION, AND TONIGHT WE’RE CHECKING IN WITH ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES, PLACER COUNTY, WHICH PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING TRANSPARENT DURING THESE TYPES OF ELECTIONS. IN KCRA 3’S, MICHELLE BANDUR HAS MORE ON OUR ELECTION COVERAGE. PLACER COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS ACTUALLY INVITE YOU TO COME IN AND WATCH THEM WORK. THEY EVEN HAVE 24 OVER SEVEN SECURITY CAMERAS ON THE SORTING PROCESS THAT YOU CAN WATCH ON THEIR WEBSITE. AND RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE THEY HAVE THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS THAT WERE CAST AT VOTING CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY JUST TODAY. ARRIVING HERE TO GET OFFICIALLY PROCESSED INSIDE, ELECTION WORKERS SORT THE BALLOTS. THEY KEEP A DAILY TALLY OF THE VOTES JUST OVER 109,000 OF THE 300,000 REGISTERED PLACER COUNTY VOTERS HAVE ALREADY CAST THEIR BALLOTS. WE DID NOT WANT TO JUST DROP IT IN A DROP BOX LIKE A NORMAL ELECTION. WE WERE AFRAID OF THAT. LIKE CHUCK AND CYNTHIA HOLMAN AT ISSUE. REDISTRICTING WITH PROPOSITION 50. IF APPROVED, PLACER COUNTY WOULD GO FROM 1 TO 3 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. OUR VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD, AND IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THEY WATCH THEIR VOTES GET PROCESSED IN REAL TIME WITH SIGNS, SCAN, GO. I SAW IT SCANNED AND INPUT INTO THE SYSTEM. THAT ACTUALLY MAKES ME FEEL EVEN BETTER. COME ON IN AND LET US COUNT YOUR BALLOT. ELECTIONS MANAGER PHILIP CHANTRY SAYS THEY’VE BEEN BUSY GETTING READY FOR THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS. EVEN IN THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, HE SAYS, ELECTION INTEGRITY REMAINS THEIR PRIORITY. INTEGRITY IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO HAVE FAITH IN THE SYSTEM AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COME IN AND WATCH. COME IN AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. WE ARE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU THE PROCESS. WE’RE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU THAT EVERY BALLOT IS A PAPER BALLOT. WE’RE HAPPY TO SHOW THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO YOU. PLACER COUNTY HAS 17 VOTING CENTERS AND DROP BOX LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THE HOFFMANS APPRECIATE THE FRONT ROW SEAT TO DEMOCRACY IN ACTION. I FEEL LIKE IT MAKES YOU FEEL VALIDATED THAT YOUR VOTE DOES COUNT. PLACER COUNTY HAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST VOTER TURNOUTS IN THE STATE, AND THEY SAY RIGHT NOW IT’S STANDING AT A 35% TURNOUT. REPORTING IN ROCKLIN MICHELLE BANDUR KCRA THREE NEWS, ELECTION OFFICIALS ALSO INVITE VOTERS TO WATCH THE HAND COUNTING OF VOTES THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION. THE OFFICE WILL RANDOMLY SELECT
California Prop 50 Special Election | More vote centers open Saturday for early voting
Updated: 12:16 PM PDT Nov 1, 2025
More Vote Center locations opened Saturday for California voters to return their ballots for the Proposition 50 special election. Voters are set to decide whether the state will temporarily adopt a new congressional map intended to send more Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives.Proposition 50 is part of a larger national fight in which lawmakers are trying to redistrict to favor one party over another, also known as gerrymandering.Because California has an independent redistricting commission, the proposed maps must go before voters to decide if they should be adopted. Learn more about Prop 50 here.Voters have the right to drop off their completed vote-by-mail ballot at any polling place or drop box location in the state. People can also mail their ballots as long as they are postmarked no later than Election Day, Nov. 4. In 29 “Voter’s Choice Act Counties,” it’s also possible to vote in person or drop off your ballot at a Vote Center beginning 10 days before the election. For this special election, that meant some Vote Centers opened for early voting beginning on Saturday, Oct. 25. More opened four days before Election Day. In California, that meant dozens of new locations opened on Saturday. These are the participating counties: Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Merced, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Ventura and Yolo.Sacramento County officials said 16 vote centers opened in October. An additional 14 vote centers opened on Nov. 1. Stanislaus County has five more vote centers opening up this weekend. Calaveras County has two more, Tuolumne County has four more, Yolo County has two more, Placer County has seven more, El Dorado County has four more and Nevada County has seven more vote center locations. How to find an early voting site, Election Day voting site or drop-off location for California’s special electionThis tool on the Secretary of State’s website lets you search for the closest early voting location or drop-off location near you. What time do polls open on Election Day? On Election Day, vote centers in all counties will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. How to track your vote in CaliforniaThe Secretary of State’s Office is offering a way for voters to track their ballot online. The service allows people to receive updates when their ballot is mailed, received, counted or if an issue comes up. Voters will have the option of email, text or phone call updates.Missed your voter registration date? California offers same-day registrationIf you’ve missed the deadline to register to vote for the election, you can cast a ballot conditionally. California allows for same-day registration until 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can sign up for conditional voter registration at your county elections office, or any vote center or polling place in your county. Your ballot will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed its voter registration verification process. Learn more. What if your name is not on the voter list at your polling place but you’re sure you’re registered?California law states any voter whose qualifications cannot be immediately verified can cast a ballot provisionally. This process involves comparing the signature of the provisional ballot with the signature on the voter’s affidavit of registration to ensure the person is properly registered to vote.How to check if you’re registered to voteCalifornians can check the status of their voter registration here.What to do if you lost your ballot or did not get oneYou can cast a provisional ballot at your polling place or a vote center. Your ballot will be counted after election officials have confirmed you are registered to vote in that county and did not already vote in that election. Learn more here.More questions? Check with your county elections officeYou can find more voting information from your county elections office below.SacramentoSan JoaquinStanislausAmadorCalaverasTuolumnePlacerEl DoradoAlpineNevadaSierraYubaSutterYoloSolanoColusaPlumasLearn more about Prop 50 from our previous coverage below:Special Election dates and deadlinesVoter turnout so far on Prop 50How a USPS mail service change may delay ballot returns for rural votersEverything to know about Prop 50Who are the 5 California Republicans who could lose their congressional seat if Prop 50 passes?Get the Facts: Why do mail-in ballot envelopes have holes for Prop 50 special election?What is Prop 50? Arguments for and against the California redistricting measureWhat is gerrymandering? History of the term and how it relates to California’s Prop 50 See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channelKCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-epth coverage of California redistricting efforts and other top policy issues on “California Politics 360.” Get informed with the latest updates about Prop 50 and more topics before Election Day on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.
More Vote Center locations opened Saturday for California voters to return their ballots for the Proposition 50 special election.
Voters are set to decide whether the state will temporarily adopt a new congressional map intended to send more Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Proposition 50 is part of a larger national fight in which lawmakers are trying to redistrict to favor one party over another, also known as gerrymandering.
Because California has an independent redistricting commission, the proposed maps must go before voters to decide if they should be adopted. Learn more about Prop 50 here.
Voters have the right to drop off their completed vote-by-mail ballot at any polling place or drop box location in the state.
People can also mail their ballots as long as they are postmarked no later than Election Day, Nov. 4.
In 29 “Voter’s Choice Act Counties,” it’s also possible to vote in person or drop off your ballot at a Vote Center beginning 10 days before the election. For this special election, that meant some Vote Centers opened for early voting beginning on Saturday, Oct. 25. More opened four days before Election Day.
In California, that meant dozens of new locations opened on Saturday.
These are the participating counties: Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Humboldt, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Merced, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Ventura and Yolo.
Sacramento County officials said 16 vote centers opened in October. An additional 14 vote centers opened on Nov. 1.
Stanislaus County has five more vote centers opening up this weekend. Calaveras County has two more, Tuolumne County has four more, Yolo County has two more, Placer County has seven more, El Dorado County has four more and Nevada County has seven more vote center locations.
How to find an early voting site, Election Day voting site or drop-off location for California’s special electionWhat time do polls open on Election Day?
On Election Day, vote centers in all counties will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
How to track your vote in California
The Secretary of State’s Office is offering a way for voters to track their ballot online. The service allows people to receive updates when their ballot is mailed, received, counted or if an issue comes up. Voters will have the option of email, text or phone call updates.
Missed your voter registration date? California offers same-day registration
If you’ve missed the deadline to register to vote for the election, you can cast a ballot conditionally. California allows for same-day registration until 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can sign up for conditional voter registration at your county elections office, or any vote center or polling place in your county. Your ballot will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed its voter registration verification process. Learn more.
What if your name is not on the voter list at your polling place but you’re sure you’re registered?
California law states any voter whose qualifications cannot be immediately verified can cast a ballot provisionally. This process involves comparing the signature of the provisional ballot with the signature on the voter’s affidavit of registration to ensure the person is properly registered to vote.
How to check if you’re registered to vote
Californians can check the status of their voter registration here.
What to do if you lost your ballot or did not get one
You can cast a provisional ballot at your polling place or a vote center. Your ballot will be counted after election officials have confirmed you are registered to vote in that county and did not already vote in that election. Learn more here.
More questions? Check with your county elections office
You can find more voting information from your county elections office below.
Learn more about Prop 50 from our previous coverage below:
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
KCRA 3 Political Director Ashley Zavala reports in-epth coverage of California redistricting efforts and other top policy issues on “California Politics 360.” Get informed with the latest updates about Prop 50 and more topics before Election Day on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.