Vote By Mail and Save 49 Cents: County Voters Getting Postage-Paid Ballots

Santa Clara County voters who vote by mail won’t need postage anymore, according to the Registrar of Voters’ Office.

Each vote-by-mail ballot will now include a postage-paid return envelope, making it easier to vote, voting officials said. Previously, voters paid more than the cost of a first-class stamp to mail their ballot. Officials noted that Thursday’s announcement comes on the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

“There is no more important action in a democracy than voting,” Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Shannon Bushey said in a statement.

“The Registrar of Voters’ Office is dedicated to promoting democratic participation. We are passionate about increasing voter turnout and we hope that by providing prepaid postage on Vote by Mail ballots we will make it easier for busy residents to vote.”

San Francisco is the only other California county to offer postage-paid vote-by-mail ballots, elections officials said.

The next county election is the consolidated election of Nov. 3, officials said.

Voters can get more information about voting in Santa Clara County by going to www.sccvote.gov or by calling the Registrar of Voters’ Office at (408) 299-VOTE (8683) or 866-430-VOTE (8683).

--Bay City News