Many Temecula Residents Won't Be Counted On Election Day, Voter Registration Numbers Show

According to the most recent information available from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters, many Temecula residents have not registered to cast a ballot on Nov. 6.

According the latest summary dated Sept. 19 from the Registrar, there are 43,386 registered voters in the city, nearly half of them registered Republicans; approximately one-quarter are registered Democrats, and nearly one-quarter declined to state their political party.

The 2010 U.S. Census showed there were just over 100,000 people living in Temecula, with approximately 30 percent under the age of 18. That leaves more than 60,000 people of legal voting age, not deducting out those who are ineligible due to citizenship, felony parole status, etc. By U.S. Census estimates, less than 10,000 undocumented immigrants are living in the city.

California voters have until Oct. 22 to register for the November presidential election. Voters whose signature is already on file with the California Department of Motor Vehicles can submit their voter registration forms to county elections offices electronically by visiting RegisterToVote.ca.gov.

To register to vote, a Californian must complete a brief voter registration application on paper or online.

“Online or on paper, California’s laws and procedures for processing voter registration applications are identical. Security is a critical part of elections, and I want to emphasize this online application is not ‘automatic registration.’ The information provided in an online application still must be verified by a county elections official before an applicant can be added to the voter rolls," said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, California’s chief elections officer.

Paper applications are still available at many government offices, DMV offices, post offices, public libraries, and more.

When a person registers online, the system will search the DMV database for the applicant’s California driver license or identification card number, date of birth, and last four digits of the applicant’s social security number.

If the information is found and the applicant authorizes elections officials’ use of the DMV signature, an electronic image of the DMV signature will be added to that voter registration application.

If there is no signature on file with DMV, all of the applicant’s information will still be transmitted to the county elections office; the applicant will just need to click “print,” then sign the paper application and mail it. (California law requires that the applicant sign the voter registration application, which is considered a legal affidavit.)

The county elections official will contact the applicant when the voter registration application is approved or when more information is needed to confirm eligibility.

For those who have already registered, approximately 450,000 vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed to voters starting Oct. 9 for the presidential general election on Nov. 6.  Ballots should arrive in mailboxes by the end of the week. Voted ballots must be received by the Registrar of Voters office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 6 to be counted in the upcoming election.  

Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned through the postal service or deposited in vote-by-mail drop-off boxes at participating city clerk offices and county-run libraries.  Drop-off locations can be found on the registrar’s website at www.voteinfo.net.  A 24-hour drop box also is available outside the main entrance of the registrar’s office at 2724 Gateway Drive in Riverside.  Vote-by-mail ballots may also be dropped off at any polling place within Riverside County before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters have until Oct. 30 to request a vote-by-mail ballot by completing the request form on the back of their sample ballot or by using the application form on the Registrar of Voters’ website at www.voteinfo.net.  The forms may be returned by mail or facsimile to (951) 486-7272.

Early voting at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters office begins Oct. 9 and runs through Nov. 6. Early voting also will be offered Oct. 26 through Oct. 28 at The Promenade in Temecula, 40820 Winchester Road.