The event is designed to protect the identity of those turning in guns, even illegal guns, which are accepted under the supervision of Santa Barbara Police Department. Participants will be asked to place unloaded firearms in the trunk of their car and enter the queue. Police will contact drivers, remove the firearms and provide a chit under the windshield wiper to exchange for the appropriate value in gift cards. Guns are disposed of under the care of SBPD.

Join Us at Noon for a Press Conference following the Buyback

The Coalition Against Gun Violence, Santa Barbara Police Department and both Local and State Representatives will address the media following the gun buyback to discuss the event and the need to continue the momentum for creating meaningful change in our national and local approach to ending gun violence.

Drive in at the Earl Warren Showgrounds Las Positas Entry.

I recently discussed the Anonymous Gun Buyback event and other methods of deterring gun violence with Dr. Teri Jory on The Resource Livestream. Check it out below!

All Registered Voters in California Will Automatically Receive a Ballot in the Mail by September 7

With only 29 days until the California Gubernatorial Recall Election on September 14, registered voters in Santa Barbara County should have received their Sample Ballot. All registered voters in the State of California will automatically receive a ballot in the mail beginning August 16. If a registered voter does not receive their ballot by August 22, they should immediately contact the Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters office at (805) 568-2200.

Voters can verify the accuracy of their voter registration, including residential and mailing addresses, at sos.ca.gov/elections/registration-status or sbcvote.com. To make address and other updates to your registration, or for eligible citizens to register to vote, go to registertovote.ca.gov.

Voters are encouraged to complete their ballot and return it through one of the secure drop boxes located throughout the county. Drop boxes are available 24 hours per day until 8 p.m. on Election Day. To avoid concerns about postal delivery delays, voters are encouraged to utilize a drop box to return their ballot. A list of all drop box locations in Santa Barbara County are included with the vote ballot and posted at SBCVote.com.

Voters may mail their ballot with no postage required, postmarked by Election Day, September 14 and received by the county elections officials on or before September 21. The preprinted return address is the Santa Barbara County Elections Office.

Voters must remember to sign the ballot envelope. The signature on every returned voted ballot envelope will be compared to the signature on the voter’s registration record before it is counted. If a voter thinks that their signature has changed over time, they should contact Santa Barbara Registrar of Voters at (805) 568-2200 or re-register online at registertovote.ca.gov. The Department of Motor Vehicles signature may be utilized with online voter registration.

Santa Barbara County Elections is staffing polling place locations on Election Day for those voters requiring language assistance or who want to vote in person. Voters must surrender their vote by mail ballot in order to vote at their polling place location. These sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, September 14. Facial coverings will be required. Voters have been assigned to polling place locations that will be listed on the back cover of the voter’s County Voter Information Guide. Voters can also use the Sample Ballot and Polling Place Look-up tool at SBCVote.com.

For information about becoming a poll worker at one of these sites, please call

(805) 568-2200 or go to countyofsb.org/care/elections/officers/information.sbc.

The three county election offices listed below are open for voting, voter registration and voter questions through Election Day, September 14.

Santa Barbara, 4440-A Calle Real

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays

Lompoc, 401 E. Cypress St, Room 102

8:30 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays

Santa Maria, 511 E. Lakeside Parkway, Suite 134

8 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, except holidays

The Santa Barbara County Registrar of Voters Office wants to help make the voting process as easy as possible. For questions or assistance, please call (805) 568-2200.