Starting on Halloween, October 31, voters in Alameda County will be able to drop off ballots or vote in person at the Oakland Coliseum, up until Election Day on November 3.
Much like San Francisco is establishing a new, centralized, outdoor voting center at Bill Graham Civic Center Auditorium, which opens in two weeks, Oakland is doing something similar to give voters peace of mind about submitting their ballots in this all-important election.
The Coliseum Vote Center, as it's being called, will offer an in-person voting option in the Oakland Arena — with masks and distancing required — as well as Will Call voting, curbside voting, and drive-thru drop stops for handing in completed mail-in ballots. It's an effort to reassure voters that their votes will be counted, bypassing the United States Postal Service if they so choose.
Alameda County is also still actively seeking poll workers — and given that it's a job often undertaken by the elderly, who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, this and every other county around California need young volunteers. You need to be 16 years old or older to be a poll worker, and you can apply here or call (510) 272-6971 to learn more.
Similarly to Oakland and SF, San Jose will be accepting mail-in ballots at a drop site at the SAP Center, as KRON4 reports.
