Campus News
California’s General Election Nov. 3: Make a plan, skip the line, and vote early
The campus Voting Center at the Stevenson Event Center will be open from Saturday, October 31, through Election Day on Tuesday, November 3.
Voting is a citizen’s fundamental right, and UC Santa Cruz strongly encourages everyone to make their voice heard. To make voting as convenient as possible, the campus is providing a four-day voting center at the Stevenson Event Center.
For the California general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, we encourage you to register and cast your vote early. The campus Voting Center at the Stevenson Event Center will be open from Saturday, October 31, through Election Day on Tuesday, November 3.
Banana Slugs have waited in line for hours during previous elections. Save time and lower your stress–make a plan to vote early!
How can I vote?
All active registered voters in California should have received a vote-by-mail ballot starting October 5. You can track your ballot status anytime using the California State Ballottrax page.
If you received a vote-by-mail ballot and plan to mail it back, it must be postmarked no later than November 2 and received by the Santa Cruz County Elections Department no later than November 10. For details, visit the California Secretary of State website and the Santa Cruz County Elections Department.
You may also drop off a vote-by-mail ballot at any vote center or location in Santa Cruz County and anyone may use any of the county’s Voting Centers for the following services:
- Registering and voting on the same day.
- Returning the ballot that was mailed to you sealed in the return envelope.
- Voting a ballot in person, which will void the ballot that was mailed to you.
- Voting an unsealed ballot by returning the ballot mailed to you without its return envelope sealed. This requires checking in with staff before depositing it in the ballot box.
- Obtaining a replacement vote-by-mail ballot to take with you.
- Using a tablet to vote on an accessible ballot or a ballot in Spanish.
Where can I vote on campus?
There will be one in-person voting site on the main campus at the Stevenson Event Center. Additionally, a voting site will be open at the Silicon Valley Campus. Both locations will operate for four days, from Saturday, October 31, through Tuesday, November 3. There will also be a Santa Cruz County VoteMobile will be on the west side of campus. They all will accept mail-in ballots.
- Stevenson Event Center
- Oct. 31: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nov. 1: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nov. 2: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nov. 3: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Silicon Valley Campus (3175 Bowers Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95054)
- Oct. 31: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Nov. 1: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Nov. 2: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Nov. 3: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Santa Cruz County VoteMobile
- Nov. 3: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Parking Lot 126 – Media Theatre)
Students, faculty, staff, and community members can also drop off completed, signed and sealed mail-in ballots at the Official Ballot Drop Box in Quarry Plaza (across from the Bay Tree Campus Store construction area). If you are registered in Santa Cruz County, ensure your ballot is submitted or mailed on time.
I’m registered to vote in another county. What Should I Do?
If you are registered at an address outside Santa Cruz County, your ballot was mailed to that address. If you did not receive it, visit an in-person voting location, such as the Stevenson Event Center on campus, to complete a conditional voter registration and vote.
I don’t know where I am registered. Can I look it up online?
Yes. Check your registration status at VoterStatus.sos.ca.gov. If you need to update your voter information or address, visit RegisterToVote.ca.gov.
Are there any rules or guidance about electioneering activities on campus?
Yes, please review the California Secretary of State webpage for Notices on Electioneering and Corruption of the Voting Process. Additional guidance on campus campaigning restrictions is available on the Elections and Voter Information webpage under “Campus Policies Around Elections and Campaigns” and in the campus message sent on October 12 regarding electioneering and political speech activities.
Thank you for participating!