All Californians will have a vote-by-mail ballot sitting in their mailbox by a month before the November election. For those that prefer to vote in person, thankfully, some of L.A.’s most recognizable venues are here to help.
The Dodgers announced in August they’d operate as a voting center ahead of the election, and since then a bunch of other sports arenas and music venues have joined in.
Unlike past elections, in which voters were assigned to a specific polling place in their own neighborhood, L.A. County has now transitioned to a voting center model: county residents can vote at any voting center in the county. Look out for the full list of locations about a month ahead of the election, and make sure to check your status here.
In the meantime, here are some of the noteworthy spots where you’ll be able to vote on (and ahead of) the November 3 presidential election. We’ll update this story as more locations and more details are announced.
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium will be open to all registered voters for five days leading up to the election. To make this happen, the team joined forces with Lakers star LeBron James and his organization More Than a Vote, which aims to fight Black voter suppression (pitcher David Price counts himself as a member, too). As far as additional day-of logistics, the team says it’ll announce those details at a later date.
Staples Center
The home of the Lakers will be open as a voting center from October 30 through November 3. In addition, the arena will have an official drop box for mail-in ballots.
Photograph: Time Out/Michael Juliano
SoFi Stadium
You unfortunately won’t be able to step inside of the stadium, but the brand-new home of the Rams and Chargers announced that it’ll set up a voting center in its parking lot. From October 30 to November 3, you can cast your vote from Parking Lot N of the Inglewood stadium (enter off Prairie and Arbor Vitae and make a right onto District Drive; the vote center will be in the parking lot in the NFL Trailer).
The Forum
The Clippers will host in-person voting and mail-in drop-offs at the Inglewood arena from October 24 through November 3. In addition, they’ve put up a site with general voting info—and, of course, Clippers-branded merch. (Confused by what the Clippers have to do with the Forum? The team bought the arena back in May so that it can build a competing one down the block.)
The Galen Center
USC’s basketball and volleyball arena will host voters October 30 through November 3. You’ll find the entrance on the south side of the building, with free parking just south at the Figueroa Parking Structure, located behind the USC Hotel.
Photograph: Courtesy Tim Street-Porter
The Music Center
Downtown’s grand Dorothy Chandler Pavilion will welcome voters in the Stern Grand Hall (if you’ve been to a show there, that’s the open space on the second floor in front of the towering windows). You’ll be able to swing by from October 24 through November 3; look for free parking in the Music Center garage on Grand Avenue between Temple and 1st Street.
The Hollywood Bowl
You won’t be able to vote inside of the Bowl itself, but you will be able to cast your ballot from the parking lot (Lot B, and good news: no stacked parking and it’s free). Like the Music Center, it’ll be open from October 24 through November 3.
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Hamilton is still down until next spring, but you’ll be able to step inside of the Hollywood theater’s lobby to cast your vote from October 30 through November 3. You can also drop off your mail-in ballot there.
Photograph: Courtesy Live Nation
Hollywood Palladium
Concert promoter and club owner Live Nation announced that it was partnering with More Than a Vote and Civic Alliance to explore turning more than 100 of its venues nationwide into voting centers, and the Hollywood concert hall is among the first ones to be confirmed. No other details are available yet.
The Wiltern
Just like the Palladium, Live Nation will also open up the Koreatown theater as a voting center.
Hammer Museum
The Westwood museum will welcome voters from October 24 to November 3. And if you need a little assistance in sorting our this year’s statewide propositions, the Hammer will be hosting virtual lectures on California’s ballot measures.
Hotel Figueroa
The Downtown hotel—which was founded in 1926 as an exclusive women’s hostel by the YWCA—will serve as a polling place from October 30 to November 2 (10am–7pm) and November 3 (7am–8pm) in the handsome Gran Sala event space.
