Vote Centers In Watsonville: Where To Vote In Person 2020

WATSONVILLE, CA — Voting in the November Presidential Election may look a little different this year, with many ballots already cast by mail. But you can still cast or hand off your ballot in person this year — and you can do it early or on Election Day.

Dubbed “vote centers” rather than “polling places,” physical voting locations will also be a bit different than in years past.

The amount of in-person polling places in California will be limited compared to previous elections, in accordance with a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August, but some vote centers already opened up as early as Oct. 24.

Centers are required to remain open Saturday through Monday Nov. 2 for at least eight hours each day and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Although every registered and active voter in California was already mailed a ballot in October, polling places will still be open for same day voter registration, for those who need assistance with language or disabilities — or for those who simply want to witness the historic election day unfold.

Santa Cruz County has 20 in-person voting locations, including a mobile voting trailer that began making rounds Oct. 12. Voters can go to any location.

While the Watsonville City Clerk's office is currently serving voters weekdays during regular business hours, all other Watsonville voting locations will be open at the following dates and times:

• Oct. 31, Nov. 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Nov. 2: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Nov. 3 (Election Day): 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Here are the voting locations in Watsonville:

• Watsonville City Community Room, 275 Main St., 4th Floor. Voting begins at this location on October 5.
• Pajaro Valley Community Trust, 85 Nielson St.
• La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Ave.
• Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave.
• Calabasas Elementary School, 202 Calabasas Road

View a list of all Santa Cruz County locations here.

Here are the ballot drop box locations in Watsonville:

• Parking Lot 14, 316 Rodriguez St.
• County Health Center, 1430 Freedom Blvd.
• Corralitos Community Center, 35 Browns Valley Rd.

View a list of all Santa Cruz County locations here.

Track your absentee ballot here.

All of these changes to voting in California this year are to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Vote center volunteers and employees are required to space voting booths apart, sanitize surfaces and encourage those waiting in line to socially distance.

Voters are encouraged to arrive with a face covering, but those who show up without will be provided one.

Some of the first vote centers opened in California Oct. 21; in Los Angeles, hundreds lined up outside the Staples Center waiting to vote in person.

In California, more than 21 million ballots were mailed to voters, and an astonishing 7 million ballots have already been cast in the state in this historic election.

Stay tuned to Patch next week for election results.