More than 150,000 mail-in ballots delivered in Fresno County ahead of Tuesday’s election
UPDATE Monday, Nov. 4: Through Sunday, the number of vote-by-mail ballots returned for the Nov. 5 general election had climbed to almost 155,000, with Monday and Tuesday remaining for voters to mail or drop off their sealed ballot envelopes.
That amounts to about 30% of the county’s 514,799 registered voters, and surpasses the vote-by-mail return figure of more than 140,000 from the March primary election.
Of the ballots received for the general election, more than 85,000 were sent through the mail, while more than 69,000 were returned through official drop-off boxes scattered throughout Fresno and Fresno County.
ORIGINAL STORY, Oct. 31:
Almost 130,000 vote-by-mail ballots for the Nov. 5 general election have been returned by Fresno County voters, quickly approaching the volume of mail-in ballots cast in the March primary with nearly a week to go before Election Day.
Through Thursday morning, 129,630 ballots were delivered to the Fresno County Elections Division. More than 78,000 came through the U.S. Postal Service, with 51,000 more deposited by voters at ballot drop-off boxes across the county and then collected by election workers.
The ballots already received at the county’s election warehouse for processing and counting represent 25.2% of the county’s 513,799 registered voters. Voters across Fresno County have until 8 p.m., Nov. 5, to return their signed and sealed ballot to one of 59 drop boxes scattered throughout the county.
People who choose in-person voting can do so at one of 10 early voting centers that opened Oct. 26 and will remain open through Nov. 5, or at one of 43, four-day voting centers that will open Saturday through Election Day. Both the 11-day and 4-day voting centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Vote-by-mail ballots in their sealed, signed envelope can also be dropped off at the vote centers.
The Elections Division offices at 2221 Kern St. in downtown Fresno is also open for people to cast their votes or drop off their ballots. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
For voters who opt to return their ballot by U.S. mail, it must be postmarked no later than Nov. 5 and received by Nov. 12 to be counted.
In the March primary, overall voter turnout was almost 31% in Fresno County by the time all of the votes were counted, Most of those – more than 140,000 – were vote-by-mail ballots, compared to just over 16,000 cast by voters at vote centers that were open in the days before the March 5 Election Day.
Turnout is expected to be significantly higher for the Nov. 5 general election, driven by the presidential race between the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, and the Democratic ticket headed by Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
This story was originally published October 31, 2024 at 2:40 PM.
