Mail-in ballots delayed for Santa Cruz County voters

Vote-by-mail ballots for Santa Cruz County voters have been delayed, the elections department said.

Due to a backlog of printing jobs and an envelope ordering error by the vendor, the Santa Cruz County ballot mailing to 68,822 voters will be mailed on Thursday and Friday of this week.

The county clerk had planned on mailing the ballots on Monday, Oct. 6, the start of the November 4 voting period.

Due to the postal holiday on Monday, October 13, voters will likely receive their ballots sometime during the week of October 14.

“It is unfortunate that our vote-by-mail ballots are delayed,” county clerk Gail L. Pellerin said. “We are working around the clock to ensure that the ballots are mailed to voters as soon as possible.”

If voters are leaving town and need a ballot immediately, they can pick one up at the County Clerk/Elections Department at 701 Ocean St., Room 210 in Santa Cruz from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or at the Watsonville City Clerk’s Office, 275 Main St., 4th Floor in Watsonville, Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, voters may contact the Santa Cruz County Clerk/Elections Department at 454-2060, toll-free at 1-866-282-5900 or visit the website.