Los Angeles moves 2025 Neighborhood Council elections to all vote-by-mail; how to apply

The Los Angeles City Clerk Neighborhood Council Elections and Funding Division said the city will use an all vote-by-mail model for the 2025 Neighborhood Council elections, meaning voters will receive and cast ballots by mail.

A presenter for the Los Angeles City Clerk Neighborhood Council Elections and Funding Division walked through the online application process in an instructional video, saying, "This means that voters will receive and cast their ballots by mail." The video outlines three steps: account creation, application details, and documentation upload when required.

The instructions begin with creating a new account in the NC portal. Applicants are told to click the NC portal website, then the NC portal logo, and to select "Need an account? Register here." The presenter said applicants must confirm their account by clicking a confirmation link sent by email before they can log in and begin the vote-by-mail application.

After logging in, applicants should choose "Voter" then "Create voter application." Step 1 requires the applicant's name, date of birth and contact information. The presenter noted first and last name fields auto-populate, and that a phone number and email address are optional but may be used by the City Clerk's office to resolve application issues. Applicants may opt in to receive Neighborhood Council information via text through Empower LA.

Step 2 asks applicants to select their Neighborhood Council and choose stakeholder type(s): live, work, own property, or have a declared community interest within the Neighborhood Council. The video directs applicants who are unsure of their council to use a mapping tool. Applicants who indicate multiple stakeholder types will be prompted to provide the address associated with each type.

For community-interest stakeholders, the presenter said the applicant must provide the organization's name and address and may use the "verify address" tool to confirm that an address falls inside council boundaries. The video emphasizes that applicants must confirm a valid mailing address because "this is the address your ballot will be mailed to," and shows a USPS verification prompt as an example.

Step 3 is for Neighborhood Councils that require documentation to prove stakeholder status. The presenter said applications cannot be reviewed until required documentation is uploaded. Examples in the video: if the applicant selects "live," a driver's license will satisfy photo and address requirements when the license address matches the application; if the applicant selects "work," the applicant must provide photo ID and proof of employment within the Neighborhood Council boundaries such as a current pay stub.

The presenter instructed applicants to check a penalty-of-perjury box affirming the accuracy of the application before submitting. The video notes that applicants can track application status in the portal, including when the application is received, when a ballot is assigned and mailed, and when the office receives a voted ballot; applicants will also receive email notifications. The presenter concluded, "Congratulations. You have now completed the application to receive a vote by mail ballot."

For assistance the video lists a phone number, 213-978-0444, and an email contact for the City Clerk's vote-by-mail election team: clerk.electionvbm@lacity.org. The video also references Empower LA as the Neighborhood Council information program and USPS address verification as part of the mailing-address confirmation process.

The instructions in the video are procedural guidance for applying for a ballot; the presenter did not announce any changes to eligibility rules beyond the all vote-by-mail format, and no votes, motions or policy decisions were recorded in the video.