SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Residents of Santa Barbara County should expected to receive their mail-in ballots this week.

These ballots are for the Statewide Direct Primary Election less than a month away.

Californians are expected to vote this election cycle for some key positions including the Governor.

Official ballot drop boxes will be accessible 24 hours a day starting today and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by June 2nd. 

The U.S. Postal Service suggests mailing ballots early to ensure timely delivery to the Elections Office for proper processing and tabulation.

Santa Barbara County offers 18 official ballot drop boxes throughout the county, and a complete list of these locations is provided with each mailed ballot.

Residents should have already received their County Voter Information Guides, which detail polling place locations and hours, and provide instructions on filling out your ballot properly.

Receiving this guide reminds voters to confirm their registration status, and the deadline for any updates to your registration is May 18th.

Any candidate of June’s election who receives 50% of the votes plus one will automatically win, and will not need to appear on the November ballot.

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - For many working on the South Coast, their morning commute will no longer involve their personal car anymore. A new train service is offering another set of wheels.

The AMTRAK Pacific Surfliner has started a new morning line from Ventura County cities including Simi Valley, Oxnard and Ventura and the goal is to have the train arrive in Santa Barbara just before 8 a.m. and in Goleta shortly after 8 a.m.

It was on time Monday morning.

Passengers who needed a ride to their business or somewhere close by, were offered a free shuttle.

There were stops to help those working at UC Santa Barbara, the Hollister tech-corridor, Cottage hospital and downtown Santa Barbara government offices.

Many of those workers would normally be driving, and in congestion between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. daily and it is not uncommon for the commute to last more than an hour.

The new train service is part of a bigger picture plan to add the train and also finish with the freeway work to add a lane in each direction.

The train and lane concept has been a long-time goal for transportation officials with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG).

(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)

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