With campaigns on the homestretch and Election Day less than one week away, individuals who are registered to vote absentee or by-mail, instead of going to the polls, should note a variety of things to ensure their vote is counted.

Ballots must be received by the Stanislaus County Elections Office by the time polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4. Vote-by-mail ballots that arrive late will not be counted.

After your ballot is complete, double check to make sure all required information on the envelope is completed.

Of note, a vote-by-mail ballot that is postmarked by Nov. 4 does not mean the ballot will be delivered by 8:00 p.m. Election Day, and therefore would not be counted.

You may return your completed vote-by-mail ballot three ways:

• Mail the ballot in advance to the Stanislaus County Election Official: Lee Lundrigan, County Clerk-Recorder, 1021 I Street, Suite 101, Modesto, CA 95354-2331
• Return the ballot in person to a polling place in Stanislaus County on Election Day; polling places will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Nov. 4.
• Return the ballot in person on Election Day to the Stanislaus County Election Office which is combined with the Clerk-Recorder’s office, located at 1021 I St., Suite 101, Modesto, at the corner of 11th and I streets

You may also authorize a relative or person living in your household to return the ballot on your behalf.

All valid vote-by-mail ballots are counted in every election in California, regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race.

Lee Lundrigan, Stanislaus County Clerk-Recorder, encourages individuals to mail in ballots as soon as possible, but noted ballots must reach the County Election Office by Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 8:00 pm to be counted.

Lundrigan suggested that ballots be mailed by Friday, Oct. 31, but no later than Nov. 1; she stated that if someone is concerned about their ballot arriving on time, they can drop it off at a polling place instead of mailing via the postal service.

For more information, such as how to check your voter registration, find your polling place, or confirm that your vote-by-mail ballot was received, go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections or http://stanvote.com. You may call the statewide toll-free voter hotline at 1-800-345-8683 or call the Stanislaus County Elections Office at 209-525-5200.