Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cerritos clerk briefs voters on concurrent ballots; council instructs clerk to clarify same‑day registration pathway
Summary
With a stand‑alone March 4 municipal election running alongside a Feb. 25 state senate special election, the city clerk briefed voters on mail‑ballot envelopes, drop boxes and in‑person options; council directed staff to add guidance about county same‑day registration and provisional ballots so unregistered residents can register and vote on the same day.
City elections staff told the City Council on Feb. 13 that the March 4, 2025 Cerritos municipal election is being run as an all‑mail election while Los Angeles County is simultaneously administering a Feb. 25 State Senate special election. The clerk explained supplemental mailings to recent movers, in‑person voting windows at City Hall, and 24‑hour ballot drop box locations.
City Clerk Cindy Nava said the county’s single‑race special election ballot uses a differently colored return envelope and urged voters to put the correct ballot in the correct envelope; the city has already received nearly 1,000 mailed ballots and is performing daily signature verification. Nava explained that voters who have not received ballots can request a reissued ballot or come to the clerk’s office to vote in person, and that provisional ballots will be available when verification issues arise.
Council members asked whether the city can offer same‑day voter registration equivalent to county practice. The clerk and city attorney explained that the county registrar is the official voter registrar and maintains the registration system, but confirmed a practical pathway: an unregistered resident can register with the county (online or in person) and, if they do so on the same day, the city can provide a provisional ballot so the resident’s municipal vote is captured and later verified. Council unanimously (5–0) directed the city clerk to add explanatory guidance to city election materials clarifying how residents may register with the county and receive a provisional ballot to vote the same day.
Why it matters: Running two different elections concurrently can confuse voters about envelopes, drop boxes and which ballots will be counted by which entity. Clear, timely guidance reduces the risk of spoiled ballots and ensures voters know how to exercise both franchise opportunities.
What’s next: Clerk’s office will add the county registration/same‑day guidance to the city election webpage, expand outreach, and continue daily signature verification and supplemental mailings to affected addresses.
