Shasta County votes. How to cast your ballot in the Presidential Primary Election March 5

Californians vote in the Presidential Primary Election on Tuesday, March 5.

First ballots go into the mail on Monday, Feb. 5 and should arrive in voters' mailboxes this week, according to the Shasta County Elections Office.

Redding voters living in District 1 will decide the outcome of the effort to recall current District 1 Supervisor Kevin Crye. Voters living in county Districts 2, 3 and 4 will decide who will be their county supervisor.

Other races on the ballot include those for U.S. Congress for District 1, State Senate for District 1 and State Assembly for District 1.

Shasta County voters will also decide the outcome of two local measures. Measure C proposes to restrict county supervisors to two terms in office, starting on Jan. 25, 2025. Measure D proposes to make Shasta County a charter county. A third measure, California's Proposition 1, allocates tax money for mental health and addiction treatment programs.

Here are answers to common questions about voting in Shasta County, including how people can participate as a voter, observer and poll worker, according to the elections office.

What’s the deadline to turn in my ballot?

To be counted, ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day, March 5, or dropped off no later than 8 p.m. that day.

Do I need to sign up to get an absentee ballot?

Every registered California voter will be sent a ballot by mail, starting on Monday, Feb. 5.

If you don’t receive your ballot by Feb. 12, call the elections office at 530-225-5730 or visit the office at its new location: 1450 Court St., suite 108 in Redding. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

How do I turn in my ballot?

In person on Election Day: You can drop off your ballot at the elections office or any official polling place in California from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 5.

By mail: You can mail in your ballot using the instructions on the envelope. Don’t forget to include your signature and the ballot in the envelope before mailing it. Ballots must be postmarked by March 5 and be received by the county elections office by March 12.

By dropping it off: You can drop off your ballot at the Shasta County Elections Office or at an official ballot drop box location. All drop boxes close no later than at 8 p.m. on Election Day, March 5 — and some close earlier. For a list of drop box locations and hours accessible go to elections.shastacounty.gov/ballot-drop-boxes.

How do I know my polling place on Election Day?

You can look up your official polling place on the elections office website at elections.shastacounty.gov/voter-profile, or call or visit the elections office.

You can also check the back of your sample ballot booklet for your polling place.

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How do I know my ballot was received/counted?

Voters who send in their mail-in ballot can find out if it arrived at the elections office website or on 'Vote-by-Mail Ballot Lookup at sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-status/wheres-my-ballot and type in your address.

Shasta County residents with questions about their provisional ballot should select "Provisional Ballot Lookup." If you receive the message “No voter information was found,” call the elections office.

Voters can also sign up to receive updates at shastavotes.ballottrax.net/voter/.

In both cases, be sure to enter your information exactly the way the website instructs.

What do I do if my signatures don't match?

The elections office will notify you if the signature on your ballot doesn't match the one on your voter registration.

If that happens, you’ll need to fill out a signature verification statement and submit it to the elections office. You can mail the form, fax it to 530-225-5454, email it to votebymail@co.shasta.ca.us, or drop it into a ballot drop box or take it to a polling place by Election Day.

Call the elections office for a link to the form, available online later in February.

More: Meet candidates in California's 1st Congressional District primary race on March 5

How do I know if I'm registered to vote?

Go to the Shasta County Elections office website and click on Registered Voter Lookup to see if you’re registered. You can also call or visit the elections office.

When is the deadline to register to vote in time for March 6?

The deadline to register in time for the Presidential Primary Election is Tuesday, Feb. 20, according to the California Secretary of State.

The state also allows for conditional registration after the deadline passed, up until Election Day. Call or visit the elections office to do so.

I’m visiting Shasta County. Can I still vote?

Californians from other counties can drop off their ballot at any official polling place in the state from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Visitors who need a replacement ballot may need to contact their county’s elections office. See a list of county elections offices on the California Secretary of State’s website at sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/county-elections-offices.

More: Here's where District 3 supervisor candidates stand on the issues

I lost, damaged or didn’t get my mail-in ballot. What do I do?

You can request a replacement vote-by-mail ballot up to seven days before the election. Go to elections.shastacounty.gov/ballot-replacement or call or visit the elections office.

I changed my address. What do I do?

Follow the same instructions you would for a lost ballot.

More: Republicans Dahle and Fennell likely to vie for Senate District 1 in November

How do I volunteer to be a poll worker?

You can apply to be a poll worker if you’re a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident registered to vote in California, and are age 18 or older.

Exceptions are high school students who are enrolled in the Student Poll Worker Program. To participate, a student must be at least 15 years old on Election Day, have at least a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, present written permission slips from a parent or guardian and from the student’s school principal or vice principal, and complete all poll worker training, according to the elections office.

Go to elections.shastacounty.gov/volunteer/volunteer-info/becoming-a-poll-worker to apply.

More: Meet the four candidates aiming to win California Assembly 1st District race

How can I be an election observer?

“Anyone can observe the processes of an election. Observers are a part of the security of each election,” according to the Shasta County Elections Office.

For a full list of observer dos and don’ts go to elections.shastacounty.gov/election-observer.

More: Kevin Crye recall: Elections office, Supervisor Jones tussle over disclosing petitioners

Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: How to vote, observe elections or be a Shasta poll worker March 5