Twenty-six polling places for Tuesday’s election will open at 7
a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, telling by the percentage of absentee ballots
returned through Friday, turnout for the highly contentious local
election could be down, according to elections official John
Hodges.
Twenty-six polling places for Tuesday’s election will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, telling by the percentage of absentee ballots returned through Friday, turnout for the highly contentious local election could be down, according to elections official John Hodges.
There had been 3,276 of 7,617 absentees returned through last week, or 43 percent. Hodges said that number is low compared to previous elections.
That’s despite three county supervisors races and what many believe to be the most divisive issue in years – Measure G – being on Tuesday’s ballot. Measure G is a growth control initiative intended to preserve agricultural landscape.
“The absentees are still coming in light,” Hodges said.
If residents had still planned on mailing their absentees, he warned those ballots would not be received on time. The Election’s Office must receive all ballots by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, he said.
For those among San Benito County’s 26,007 registered voters doing it the old-fashioned way – physically going to the polls – Hodges once again urged them to go as early as possible.
There isn’t one polling place that stands out as attracting the most people or, perhaps more important, the longest lines, Hodges said.
Once again, many of the schools will host polling places, including, among others, Calaveras School, Cerra Vista School, Rancho San Justo, R.O. Hardin and Spring Grove School.
Others include the Ridgemark Tennis Club House, the Aromas Fire Station and the VFW Hall in San Juan Bautista.
At some of those polling places, federal officials with the Department of Justice plan to observe whether the county complies with minority voting regulations.
Federal officials are scheduled to meet Hodges and County Counsel Karen Forcum on Monday to discuss their strategy, Hodges said, “which is strictly to observe.”
At about 9:15 Tuesday night, Hodges said the tabulating should begin. For the most part, results should be tabulated by midnight, aside from a two-week verification and canvassing process.
For more local voting information, call 636-4016.
