Inyo County Elections

Elections Postcards

Inyo County Elections regularly sends notifications to voters by mail. These mailings, most often required by law, range from notification cards to ballots. Our mail is easily identified by the Inyo County logo and the Official Election Mail logo. It is important to review any election mail you receive as it may be a notice regarding your registration status, a change in your polling place or voting options, or a may include a ballot. Keep reading the below for the different types of mailings you might receive from our office requesting updated information. This will keep our voter rolls updated and accurate, and save the county money by not mailing ballots and information books to voters that have moved.

Voter Notification Card

Voter Notification Cards (VNC) are sent to notify the voter that the Elections Department has updated a voter’s record. VNCs are also sent when there is a voter registration update from the Department of Motor Vehicles and any change of address information provided directly by the voter. These cards are non-forwardable by USPS.

Instructions for Voters

When you receive this card, review the information to make sure it is accurate. If you are satisfied with the information, no further action is needed. If you would like to update the information, you can re-register online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/. If a card is forwarded to you from a prior address, please contact our office.

Change of Address Notification Card

Change of Address Notification cards (CAN) are mailed per EC 2225(b) when the Elections Department receives any notification other than written confirmation from voter that an address has changed, such as undeliverable returned mail by the Post Office. These cards may be forwarded to the voter by USPS.

Instructions for Voters

Review the information to make sure it is correct.

  1. If the information is correct, you may disregard the notice.
  2. If the person on the card does not live at the address, please mark the indicated box and return the card to our office.
  3. If your information needs to be updated, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.registertovote.ca.gov or provide information on this postcard, sign it, and return it back to our office. Individuals with power of attorney cannot sign for a voter. Only voters may sign their cards.

Address Confirmation Card (8D2)

These 8D2 cards are sent when a voter’s record is made inactive after the Elections Department receives mail from the Post Office where a voter has moved out of state and there is no forwarding address provided. These cards are also sent when there is notification that a voter may no longer reside at the address.

This mailing complies with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) Section 8(d)(2) that states that the voter has until 15 days before the next election to return the card. If the voter does not return the card and lives within California, the voter may be required to show proof of his or her residential address to vote in future elections. If the voter does not return the card between the date of this notice and the second federal general election following the mailing of the card, a voter’s registration will be cancelled, and the voter will have to re-register to vote. These cards may be forwarded to the voter by USPS.

Instructions for Voters

Review the information on the card.

  1. If all of the information is correct and you no longer live in Inyo County, mark the first box, sign it, and return it to us.
  2. If the information is incorrect, please correct the information on the card, sign and return it to us. Individuals with power of attorney cannot sign for a voter. Only voters may sign their cards. Once we receive the notice, we will update the voter’s record.
  3. If no response is received, your voter registration status may be changed to Canceled.
  4. For more information regarding voter list maintenance, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/nvra/laws-standards/nvra-manual/chap-4/.

Pre-Election Residency Confirmation Card

Before a primary election, Inyo County Elections Department is required by law to send out an address verification card to active voters in the county that have not recently voted or have not recently updated their voter information with us.

Instructions for Voters

Review the information to make sure it is correct.

  1. If the person on the card does not live at the address, please mark the indicated box and return the card to our office.
  2. If your information needs to be updated, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.registertovote.ca.gov or provide information on the postcard, sign it, and return it back to our office.
  3. If the information is correct, you may disregard the notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why did I receive this address confirmation card?
    California Elections Code 2220, requires that this card be mailed to voters before the primary election to help keep voter rolls accurate. For more information regarding voter list maintenance, please visit the Secretary of State’s website at https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voter-registration/nvra/laws-standards/nvra-manual/chap-4/.
  2. How can I update my name, address and/or political party preference?
    You can register online at https://registertovote.ca.gov/ or you can complete a voter registration card at any library, post office or DMV.
  3. What is the goal of this mailing?
    The goal is to maintain an accurate and up-to-date voter registration file. With all voters now receiving a vote by mail ballot, keeping our voter rolls is now more important that ever.
  4. Does this mean someone tried to change my information?
    No. The law requires us to mail this card to voters that haven’t recently had activity in our system.

No Party Preference Crossover Card

Party-nominated offices are contests in which the nominee is selected by the political party, which include:

During a California Presidential Primary Election, only registered voters in that political party can vote for that party’s candidate on the ballot. This is known as a Closed Presidential Primary.

The exception to that rule: When candidates for the President are on the Primary Election Ballot, some–but not all–political parties choose to allow No Party Preference (NPP) voters to participate in their primary without having to re-register. This is known as a “crossover” or a Modified-Closed Presidential Primary. If you are not registered with one of the certified political parties, the state election laws consider you to be a NPP voter and you will be given the option to crossover.

Certified political parties in California:

If a qualified political party chooses to hold a Modified-Closed Presidential Primary, the party must notify the California Secretary of State no later than the 135th day before Election Day. Counties will then notify voters as to which parties allow crossovers as the presidential primary election draws near.

Prior to each presidential primary election, vote by mail voters who are registered with no official political party preference will receive this notice of their options for the primary election. The card will list those parties that allow Crossover votes on their presidential party ballot and information on how to request the party ballot. These cards are non-forwardable by USPS.

Instructions for Voters

As a non-affiliated Party Preference voter, you have three options:

  1. Do nothing. You will be provided a ballot with no presidential candidates on it, but every other contest will be available to you to vote on.
  2. Request a crossover. The only parties to choose from are those that authorize it. Requesting a party crossover ballot will not change your voter registration information for your political party, and is only valid for a single primary election. Complete the card, and sign it.  Your signed request can be emailed to elections@inyocounty.us, faxed to (760) 878-1805, or mailed to us by returning the postage-paid postcard. You can also call us at (760) 878-0224.
  3. Re-register. Do this by the deadline noted on the card if you want to participate in the party’s primary but do not have the option to crossover, or you would like to permanently change your party affiliation for future elections.

No matter how you decide to participate in the presidential primary, everyone will be able to vote for all President and Vice-President candidates in the November General Election.