Vote early and in person Vote early and in person (February 27, 2004)

Take identification with you to the polls

Santa Clara County voters will have the option to cast their vote early, before the March 2, Presidential Primary, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.

Voters will be able to vote at the Registrar's Office, located at 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, in San Jose, during their normal business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekend voting will also be available on Feb. 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., also at the Registrar's Office.

Residents who choose to vote early will have the option of using the new touch screen voting machines or the new optical scan ballots, according to the Registrar's Office.

The county also reminds voters that anyone who is voting for the first time in a federal election, or registered by mail for their first election in Santa Clara County, will be required to show identification.

According to the Registrar's Office, some acceptable forms of identification include a driver's license, identification card, passport, military or student card, credit or debit card, insurance plan card or health club membership card.

Other documents can also serve as identification if they include the voters name, address and are dated after the previous election, the Registrar's Office said. Utility bills, bank statements, a public housing identification card, a lease or rental agreement, tax return, drug prescription or vehicle registration are some of the documents that are accepted, according to the Registrar's Office.

Voters who are not able to provide an acceptable from of identification will still be allowed to vote on a provisional ballot that will be counted after verified, the Registrar's Office said. Provisional voters will be given a receipt that includes instructions for tracking their ballot after the election is certified, according to the Registrar's Office.

With this receipt, voters will be able to call toll free or go online to check if their vote was counted, and if not the Registrar's Office will provide an explanation why the ballot was rejected.

The voter identification requirement, increased accessibility to provisional voting and the tracking system for provisional ballots are in compliance with the Help America Vote Act, passed in 2002, according to the Registrar's Office.

For more information visit http://sccvote.org or call (866) 430-8683.

-- Bay City News

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