‘Make a plan to vote, and then vote early’ to avoid pandemic voting lines in Fresno
Fresno County voter turnout for the Nov. 3 election already surpassed March’s primary election turnout, Fresno County Registrar of Voters Brandi Orth reported.
The county Elections Office as of noon Friday had received over 200,000 ballots, Orth said. In the March primary, 199,118 ballots were cast in total, she said. Of those 200,000-plus ballots, the return method is split about evenly between mail-in and secure ballot box drop-offs.
For voters who have yet to cast their ballot, Orth recommended voting over the weekend by dropping ballots off at drop boxes or going to one of the 53 county vote centers, which open Saturday. Voters who intend to send their ballots by mail are cutting it “perilously close” since ballots must be postmarked by Election Day.
What’s contributing to the high voter turnout this election?
“I think it’s a lot of things,” Orth said. “Always, a presidential election garners more interest and participation. I think the country has been hearing about this particular election for several months now. I think people are very interested and even concerned. They just want to participate. They want to have their voices heard, so they’re voting. That’s exciting.”
Orth said having the vote centers open over the weekend also will likely boost turnout.
“That’s obviously the purpose of the Voters Choice Act,” she said, which was implemented for the first time this year.
For those planning to vote in person, Orth noted coronavirus safety precautions, such as social distancing, will be in effect.
“There will be lines. You will have to wait in line outside,” she said. “The sooner you can cast your ballot, the easier it’s going to be for you. Make a plan to vote, and then vote early.”
Who’s voted so far?
Political Data Inc. shows that most Fresno County voters who so far returned their ballots are older, more white and more Democrats.
By Oct. 29, the website recorded more than 184,000 ballots cast. Of those, over 83,000 ballots were from registered Democrats, nearly 63,000 Republicans and 38,000 Independent or voters from other parties.
More than 61% of those who voted early were age 65 or older. Conversely, about 23% of early voters were age 18-34.
More than 109,000 of those ballots tracked by the website were cast by white voters. Latinos accounted for over 55,000; Asians cast over 16,000 and a little over 3,000 were from Black voters.
Key ballot choices
Like Orth alluded to, this year’s presidential race is the biggest race on the ballot and highly anticipated. And while California voters won’t be deciding high-profile offices such as governor or senators, there are a number of propositions ranging in topics such as race, housing, labor, education and criminal justice.
Locally, voters will decide who represents them in Congress and the state Assembly.
Fresno’s mayor’s race and single city council seat were decided in the March primary. Elsewhere in the county, voters in Coalinga, Firebaugh, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Mendota, Parlier, Reedley, Sanger, San Joaquin and Selma will decide on city council races.
Nearly all voters will vote in some form of school board race. The Fresno County Board of Education and State Center Community College District Board of Trustees both have multiple seats up for election. So do a number of K-12 school districts, including Fresno, Central, Clovis, Sanger and Kings Canyon unified school districts, among others. The winners of those seats will vote on budgets and set educational priorities.
Clovis, Central, Sanger, Riverdale and Washington unified school districts also have bonds on the ballot.
How to vote
Every voter got a ballot in the mail this year. Voters are no longer assigned to a polling precinct. The ballots can be taken to any of 66 county drop boxes or placed in the mail.
Fifty-three election centers will be open Halloween through Election Day, Nov. 3, for in-person voting.; the hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday and the traditional 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day. The Fresno County Registrar’s of Voters Office at 2221 Kern St. in downtown Fresno is open for in-person voting on Monday and Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For a full list of drop boxes and voting centers, go to fresnovote.com.
Anyone can check the status of their ballot at the “Where’s My Ballot?” page for the California Secretary of State’s Office.
Elections staffers remind voters to sign the ballot before dropping it in a box or mail. Voting early gives elections officials a chance to correct any issues that come up related to a signature.
For any ballot troubleshooting, call the registrar’s office at 559-600-8683.