By Charles M. Kelly
Seal Beach voters will be able to vote, drop off ballots or update their registration at one of two local voting centers.
One will be a four-day voting center at the Seal Beach Senior Center (adjacent to the Mary Wilson Library) and the other will be an 11-day voting center at at Fire Station #48 located at 3131 N. Gate Rd.
City Clerk Gloria Harper gave the council and the public an update on Seal Beach’s voting centers at this week’s council meeting. The centers will be open for the March 2020 primary election.
The four-day voting center at 707 Electric Ave. will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Feb. 29 to March 2, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Election Day, which is March 3.
The 11-day center at Fire Station #48 will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 22 to Feb. 28; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Feb. 29 to March 2, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., March 3.
Harper said that if you are registered to vote in OC, you must use a voting center or drop box in Orange County.
“Vote Centers will serve as a one-stop location for all things voting,” Harper wrote in her staff report to the council.
“Unlike traditional in-person options for voting, Vote Centers allow residents to not only vote, but to solve voter registration issues, register to vote, get a replacement ballot, and get general assistance from highly trained staff for 11 days, including weekends, not just one day,” Harper wrote.
“The Vote Centers will now have electronic check-in, which is more secure and will speed up the entire voting process, saving valuable time. The voter can walk in when and where they want at any of the 200 Vote Centers throughout Orange County,” Harper wrote.
District Two Councilman Thomas Moore expressed concern about citywide senior transportation to voting centers. City Manager Jill Ingram said staff would look into the issue.
