by Kathryn Dunn | editor@claremont-courier.com

Los Angeles County has transitioned from polling places to vote centers, giving Claremont voters the option to cast a ballot in person at any vote center in the county.

Vote centers are similar to traditional polling places, but provide additional features to expand opportunities for entering a ballot electronically. Those registered to vote-by-mail may leave completed ballots at one of the vote centers or they can also use one of the city’s two drop-off locations—city hall or the Hughes Center.

Voters can go to any center in Claremont or county wide, regardless of where they live. Vote centers will be open from February 22 through Election Day, March 3. Some will be open for only four days preceding Election Day, while others will be open a full 11 days.

There will be seven vote centers in Claremont, including a one-day location at the Service Center for Independent Life, which will provide additional support to voters with disabilities or special circumstances.

The locations and hours for the centers are:

Claremont Center for Spiritual Living, Holmes Hall, 509 S. College Ave., Claremont. Hours: Saturday, February 29 through Monday, March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Claremont Helen Renwick Library Meeting Room, 208 N. Harvard Ave., Claremont. Hours: Saturday, February 22 through Monday, March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Joslyn Senior Center Weinberger Wing, 660 N. Mountain Ave., Claremont. Hours: Saturday, February 29 through Monday, March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Oakmont Elementary School multipurpose room, 120 W. Green St., Claremont. Hours: Saturday, February 29 through Monday, March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Taylor Hall, 1775 N. Indian Hill Blvd., Claremont. Hours: Saturday, February 22 through Monday, March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Vista Del Valle Elementary School multipurpose room, 550 Vista Dr., Claremont. Hours: Saturday, February 29 through Monday, March 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Service Center for Independent Life (SCIL) will host a VSAP (voting solutions for all people) flex vote center on Thursday, February 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Flex vote centers offer voting services to voters with distinct needs that cannot be met with the new voting experience. Flex vote centers provide all the services and equipment found at traditional vote centers, but also lend a special focus to seniors, people experiencing homelessness, voters with disabilities and incarcerated voters.

The flex vote center will be in SCIL’s computer lab, located at 107 S. Spring St. in Claremont.

Vote-by-mail reminders

For those who vote-by-mail, drop-off locations are now available at the Hughes Center, 1700 Danbury Rd. and at city hall, 207 Harvard Ave. 

Through March 3, ballot boxes will be picked up twice a week by the county, and swapped with empty boxes. Completed VBM ballots can be dropped off at the Hughes Center Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or at city hall Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Both locations will be in operation until 4:30 p.m. on Election Day.

The county registrar-recorder mailed out VBM ballots in late January. Permanent vote-by-mail voters should have automatically been sent a ballot. If not, visit www.lavote.net.