California
Vote centers for California’s special election on redistricting open this weekend
Want to cast your ballot in person? Need a replacement ballot or help registering to vote?
You’re in luck: The first batch of vote centers open for California’s special election on redistricting on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Vote centers offer a range of services. They are places for people to return their ballots in person, rather than by mail or at a drop box. But voters can also find help for their voting-related issues, obtain a replacement ballot, or register to vote and cast a provisional ballot.
Southern California’s guide to Prop. 50, the 2025 redistricting election
Many vote centers open this weekend; another set of vote centers open on Saturday, Nov. 1. Check your county elections offices for specific locations and hours of operation.
On Election Day, Nov. 4, vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Remember, if you’re in line to vote at 8 p.m., you can stay in line and still vote.)
Keep in mind, not every county conducts elections under California’s Voter’s Choice Act, which expands early, in-person voting and utilizes vote centers as options for voters.
In Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties operate under this model, as well as San Diego and Ventura counties.
San Bernardino County conducts elections using the traditional polling place model, though it does offer early voting sites available for residents. And with the use of electronic poll pads for voter check-in, said spokesperson David Wert, registered voters can cast their ballot at any polling place in the county.
You can find the nearest early voting or drop-off location through the California secretary of state’s website at www.caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov. Simply input your county — you can also narrow your search by adding your city or ZIP code — and view nearby results in a list or on a map.
And aside from vote centers, secure drop boxes are also available for voters to cast a ballot.
Ballots, which were mailed to every registered voter at the beginning of October, can also be returned via U.S. Postal Service. They come with prepaid postage and return envelopes, and must be postmarked on or before Election Day, and arrive to county elections offices no later than seven days after Nov. 4, to be counted.
Find more information at your county elections office:
• L.A. County: www.lavote.gov/home/voting-elections
• Orange County: www.ocvote.gov
• Riverside County: www.voteinfo.net
• San Bernardino County: www.elections.sbcounty.gov
Staff writer Jeff Horseman contributed to this report.
A 17-year-old suspect has been arrested in Texas in connection with the deadly shooting after a high school graduation ceremony in Fairfield, California last month, police said.
Fairfield police said U.S. Marshals, accompanied by department detectives, served search and arrest warrants Friday morning at a home in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The teen was taken into custody without incident on suspicion of murder and related offenses.
Investigators said the suspect fled California and traveled to Texas within days of the June 3 shooting. He will remain in custody while awaiting extradition to Solano County.
The shooting happened after Sem Yeto Continuation High School’s graduation ceremony, which was held on the Fairfield High School campus.
Police said 18-year-old graduate Jamario Baker died at the scene. Three others – an 11-year-old child and two adults, ages 20 and 25 – were wounded.
Authorities have not released the suspect’s name because he is a minor.
Although an arrest has been made, police said the investigation remains active and detectives continue to pursue additional leads.
“While today’s announcement may provide a measure of relief to some, it does not lessen the pain felt by our community,” the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District said in a statement.
Police plan to hold a news conference Monday at 4 p.m. to discuss the case and arrest.
Fairfield is a Northern California city about 40 miles northwest of San Francisco.
A California bill would let insurers monitor customers’ driving data in exchange for discounted premiums.
Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, the author of AB 311, said the digital monitoring, known as telematics, rewards good driving and would improve safety. In real time, telematics technology would track data such as speed, location and how a vehicle is being driven.
“We have to slow people down,” McKinnor said. “That is the whole purpose for this bill, is driver safety.”
A voter-approved law from 1988, Prop 103, required insurance rates to be based mainly on driving record, miles driven and experience. It made California the only state in the country to prohibit telematics.
McKinnor believes the law is outdated. She argued that her bill would also help good drivers who pay higher rates because of where they live.
“Where I live definitely brings my insurance up,” McKinnor said. “If we both drive the same way, we’ll get charged the same way, instead of by our ZIP code.”
California’s Department of Insurance and consumer groups oppose the bill, citing privacy concerns.
“We can’t look behind the algorithm and see what weight it’s giving to different criteria, which is a big problem,” said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. “Auto insurance, otherwise, is transparent. This is why the Department of Insurance is opposed, because of the lack of transparency in the algorithm.”
The proposed savings in exchange for good driving might not be guaranteed. Telematics data from the Maryland Insurance Administration showed that 31% of drivers who opted into the program saw a drop in rates, 24% saw an increase and 45% saw no change to their premiums.
“This collects an awful lot of data about people, more than they know, and it’s like having Big Brother in your back seat,” Court said.
McKinnor insisted that drivers will not be forced to enroll in the program.
“It’s still opt-in in the other 49 states,” she said. “We’re not going to make this mandatory. It’ll be a per-volunteer situation.”
McKinnor’s bill passed through the legislature’s insurance committee. It’s expected to be presented to the full Senate in August.
Huntington Beach police are vowing to prevent a potential “takeover” event being promoted across social media that they believe could get out of control.
Police said they became aware of the event from a flyer online advertising an “end of summer beach bash” in the city.
“Dear ‘Beach Bash’ organizers…” police said in an Instagram post Thursday. “Thanks for the flyer. We’ve seen it too.”
They continued, “We have no intention of allowing that to happen here.”
No further details were provided about when the event was planned to take place or the exact location.
Police and the city of Huntington Beach said they’re working to prevent the event following similar events in Southern California that resulted in violence, vandalism and other criminal activity.
One chaotic event that was held in Newport Beach on the Fourth of July ended with more than 400 people being arrested, according to police. Some partygoers were seen fist fighting, while others allegedly vandalized property and local businesses, including a Pavilions grocery store.
Newport Beach police said social media posts drew a large influx of people to Newport Pier in a short amount of time, and the event got out of control.
Huntington Beach PD warned that anyone who organizes, promotes or participates in criminal activity associated with a takeover event may be arrested or prosecuted. Charges may include incitement to riot, vandalism, theft, assault, reckless driving, unlawful assembly, conspiracy or other applicable offenses.
They also warned that juveniles would not be exempt from punishment, and parents or guardians may also be liable for damages caused by their child’s actions.
The HBPD Special Investigations Bureau has already identified individuals believed to be involved in organizing and promoting the event, according to police.
If you have information regarding this event, you are urged to contact Huntington PD’s Special Investigations Bureau at 714-536-5991.
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