Cast Your Ballot Early This Week at Westfield Palm Desert

Palm Desert voters are privy to one of three remote voting locations in Riverside County, and can begin casting their ballots come Friday.

Westfield Palm Desert will be outfitted with electronic voting units Oct. 26 through Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  They'll be located on the first floor of the mall, in front of the Macy’s Furniture Gallery, according to the office of the registrar.

Though the location will be extra convenient for Palm Desert residents, anyone who is registered to vote in Riverside County can utilize the machines.  You can also drop off your vote-by-mail ballot, the registrar's office said.

"Early voting provides access to voters unable to make it to the polls on Election Day and those who would like their vote to be among the first counted and reported on Election Night," Registrar of Voters Kari Vergil said in a statement announcing the early voting.  " Voters are encouraged to cast their ballot as soon as possible so that it can be included in the first Election Night results posted shortly after 8 p.m."

There will be 10 machines available for use at Westfield, the registrar's office tells Palm Desert Patch.

Last presidential election, thousands of people took advantage of the local early voting opportunity, officials said.

Other mall sites open during the same time for early voting include the Galleria at Tyler and the Promenade in Temecula.

From the registrar's office:

Early voting also is available leading up to Election Day at the Registrar of Voters’ office, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Saturday (Oct. 27) and on Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The registrar’s office, 2724 Gateway Drive in Riverside, is open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.