Your Power, Your Vote – Special Election 2020

On Tuesday, May 12, voters across Los Angeles, Ventura, and Riverside Counties will have the power to create a safer, just, and thriving community by voting their values in two special elections.

In Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, voters will cast their vote for California's 25th Congressional District (CD-25) representative, and in Riverside County, voters in Senate District 28 (SD-28) will decide who will be their state senator.

Decisions made at the state and federal levels directly affect you and your community.

Our legislative bodies pass laws that can either extend or limit rent cancellations and decide how much funding goes toward infrastructure and school programs. We need to elect representatives that stand for our values. By learning about these races, you can leverage your power over decisions that affect your family and your community.

You will get a mail-in ballot for this election and can vote by mail. For these special elections, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Newsom ordered counties to send mail-in ballots to every eligible voter in Congressional District 25 (CD-25) and Senate District 28 (SD-28). Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than three days after Election Day.

The governor's order says that in-person voting could also be available “in a manner consistent with public health and safety” but that counties could choose just for these special elections to have only voting by mail and no in-person voting.

Los Angeles County is offering 22 convenient and secure drop boxes throughout CD-25 open 24 hours for voters to drop off their ballot in-person. Find out more details and get a list of drop box locations from lavote.net. You can vote by mail or at some, more limited than usual, in-person voting locations.

If you live in CD-25 in Ventura County, you can vote by mail or at some, more limited than usual in-person voting locations. The Elections Division will hold in-person voting on Saturday, May 9, 2020, at the Simi Valley Public Library from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. On Election Day, Tuesday, May 12, voters may vote in person at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the Simi Valley Public Library from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Find more information at Ventura County's website.

If you live in SD-28 in Riverside, there is no in-person voting option for this election and you must mail in your ballot or drop it off at one of the specified ballot drop-off locations.

The ACLU in California is working hard to ensure there are robust vote-by-mail AND safe, in-person voting options for the November elections. Learn more about our advocacy to protect the right to vote in November 2020.

Your state senator represents you and your community in Sacramento. Every year, the California Legislature works on important legislation that either advances our civil liberties or holds us back. State senators serve four-year terms. Learn your state senate and assembly districts at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Your congressperson represents you and your community at the federal level. Each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments, and serve on committees. Learn about your congressional district and representative at https://ziplook.house.gov/htbin/findrep_house.

Check your voter status.

Know your voting rights in the L.A. County jails.

Learn about your voting rights at LetMeVoteCA.org.

Know your voting rights while under conservatorship.

Learn more about how to exercise your voting rights, resist voter intimidation efforts, and access disability-related accommodations and language assistance at the polls.

Be an ACLU voter. #DareToCreate a safer, just, and thriving California and commit to vote your values down-ballot on local measures and races.