A ballot box is seen outside the Benjamin Franklin Branch Library in Boyle Heights.
A ballot box is seen outside the Benjamin Franklin Branch Library in Boyle Heights. (Andrew Lopez / Boyle Heights Beat)

It’s election season, and the June 2 primary is fast approaching. Ballots have begun arriving by mail and ballot drop boxes are now open.

On the Eastside, voters will weigh in on a range of races, including Los Angeles Unified School District Board District 2, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors District 1 and California Senate District 26. Here’s what to know about how and where to cast your ballot.

Need to register? 

The last day to register or update your registration address is May 18, but same-day registration is also available in person at county elections offices, polling places and vote centers. You can register at lavote.gov.

Voting by mail? 

Remember, you can mail your ballot as soon as possible. The Secretary of State’s Office recommends voters who want to mail in their ballots do so at least one week before Election Day on June 2.

Find a ballot drop box 

You can return your ballot at one of the many drop boxes across LA County.  Most ballot drop boxes are open 24 hours a day until they close at 8 p.m. on June 2. Find a ballot drop box here.

Where to drop off your ballot in Boyle Heights

Benjamin Franklin Branch Library, 2200 E 1st St.

Malabar Branch Library, 2801 Wabash Ave.

HACLA-Ramona Gardens, 2830 Lancaster Ave.

Hyatt House LA-University Medical Center, 1618 San Pablo St.

Robert Louis Stevenson Branch Library, 803 Spence St.

HACLA-Estrada Courts, 3232 Estrada St.

Where to drop off your ballot in East LA

Centro Maravilla Service Center, 4716 E Cesar Chavez Ave.

East Los Angeles Library, 4837 E 3rd St.

East Los Angeles Service Center, 133 N Sunol Dr.

City Terrace Library, 4025 City Terrace Dr.

A voter walking into the Boyle Heights Senior Center to cast their vote.
A voter walks into the Boyle Heights Senior Center to cast their vote on Nov. 4, 2024. (Andrew Lopez / Boyle Heights Beat)

Where to vote in person

Early in-person voting in LA County began May 4 at the registrar’s office in Norwalk. Vote Centers open Saturday, May 23 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. On June 2, Election Day, the centers will be open from 7 a.m. to  8 p.m. You can find Vote Centers here.

Find a vote center in Boyle Heights

Boyle Heights City Hall, 2130 E 1st St.

KIPP Promesa Prep, 1241 S. Soto St.

Lou Costello Recreation Center, 3141 E. Olympic Blvd.

Ramon Garcia Recreation Center, 1016 S. Fresno St.

Weingart East LA YMCA, 2900 Whittier Blvd.

Malabar Street Elementary School, 3200 Malabar St.

Ramona Gardens Boys & Girls Club, 2830 Lancaster Ave.

Find a vote center in East LA

Harrison Elementary School, 3529 City Terrace Dr.

Cal State LA, 5151 State University Dr.

Ramona Opportunity High School, 231 S Alma Ave.

Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle School, 4360 Dozier St.

Nueva Maravilla Housing Community, 4919 E Cesar E Chavez Ave.

Belvedere Park, 4914 E Cesar E Chavez Ave.

East Los Angeles College, 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez Rd.

Arts in Action Charter Elementary School, 5140 Via Corona St.

4th Street Elementary School, 420 Amalia Ave.

Arts in Action Charter Middle School, 745 S Kern Ave.

Tracking your ballot

Want to know when your ballot is mailed, received, and counted? You can actually track it using the WheresMyBallot tool.

Voter guides to check out

LAist contributed to this story.

My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.

What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.

Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.

The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.

My background: I’m originally from Fontana in the Inland Empire and have spent most of my career covering local news for Latino communities in Los Angeles. Most recently, I led coverage of the historic 2024 Latino vote in Nevada as editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal en Español. Before that, I was the Bilingual Communities Reporter at the Long Beach Post, getting to know the city’s vibrant Spanish-speaking communities.

What I do: I cover topics that will help residents in Boyle Heights and East LA navigate and understand the issues they encounter in their everyday lives while also seeing themselves reflected in the stories we spotlight.

Why LA?: I have vivid memories of visiting El Mercadito in Boyle Heights with my family and indulging in gorditas, esquites and nieves de limón before our hour-long drives back to the IE. The struggles of underserved communities are felt across county borders and I’m eager to report on a community that reminds me of home.

The best way to contact me: My email is laura@boyleheightsbeat.org.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *