Mail-in ballots in LA County to undergo changes for upcoming elections

NORWALK, Calif. (KABC) -- Changes are coming to the process of voting by mail before November's midterm election.

People voting by mail in Los Angeles County will receive a different looking ballot for the upcoming general election.

In the past, voters had to locate the candidate's name in a guide and then find a corresponding number on a separate ballot before filling in the oval.

The Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder said the new ballot cards are easier to understand.

"You actually fill in the oval right next to the name of the candidate or the response to the measure that you want to look at," Dean Logan, L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, said.

In L.A. County, 2.2 million registered voters receive their ballot by mail.

This general election, the biggest change they'll likely notice is no postage is required.

State law requires elections officials to provide prepaid postage on mail-in ballots starting in 2019.

In Orange County, the registrar of voters said they are waiting until 2019 to pick up the cost of postage. If you will vote by mail in Orange County, you will still need to pay for a stamp to mail your ballot.

The last day to request a mail-in ballot is Oct. 30.

In L.A. County, the new ballots will start being mailed out to voters Oct. 9.