Palo Alto voters face Oct. 19 registration deadline

Palo Alto voters who haven't registered for the Nov. 3 election are running out of time to meet the standard registration deadline.

Monday, Oct. 19, is the standard voter registration deadline for Palo Alto residents voting in the Nov. 3 election, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. Eligible voters who miss it can still conditionally register and vote in person through Election Day.

The stakes are local. Three of seven Palo Alto City Council seats are on the ballot, along with Measure J, a proposed half-cent sales tax increase that would generate an estimated $15.6 million a year for the city, according to the city's Measure J page. The revenue would enter the General Fund and could support general city services. Council-adopted advisory spending guidelines call for acquiring land and making improvements at the Cubberley Community Center campus.

Who needs to act

Eligible voters who are not registered, or whose registration needs updating, can use the state’s online form. The Secretary of State advises voters to re-register after changing their name, residence or party preference. Missing the standard deadline does not eliminate the option to register and vote in this election.

Voters who have moved within Palo Alto but haven't updated their address may have their mail-in ballot sent to the old address.

Not sure if you're registered? The California Secretary of State's Office maintains a lookup tool at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov that shows registration status and the address on file.

Missed the deadline? Register in person

Voters who miss Monday's cutoff can use Conditional Voter Registration, also called same-day registration, at the county Registrar of Voters office or any open vote center. That option stays open until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, according to the county registrar's website. Conditional ballots are counted after officials verify the voter’s eligibility, according to state guidance.

The first Palo Alto vote centers open Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Palo Alto Art Center auditorium, 1313 Newell Road, and the Ventura Community Center, 3990 Ventura Court, according to Palo Alto Online's election guide. Additional locations open Saturday, Oct. 31, at Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Road; the Palo Alto Lawn Bowls Club, 474 Embarcadero Road; and the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, 2751 Louis Road.

Early voting is also available at the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters office at 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, in San Jose. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 2, with weekend hours on Oct. 24–25 and Oct. 31–Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election Day hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.