Californians returning ballots early in huge numbers

Voters in Golden State aren’t waiting until Election Day 2020 to make their voices heard

Mirroring a trend being seen around the country, Californians are completing and returning their ballots weeks ahead of Election Day in record numbers.

More than 1.5 million voters have returned their vote-by-mail ballots already, blowing past the 150,000 ballots returned by the same point during the last presidential election in 2016.

“We knew the COVID-19 pandemic would pose significant challenges,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement Wednesday, “but elections officials have prepared and voters have responded.”

In the Bay Area, Alameda County has already received more than 72,000 ballots — roughly evenly split between drop boxes and the mail. More than 90,000 residents of Contra Costa County have already voted, with more than 57,000 choosing to mail their ballots and around 31,000 opting for drop boxes. Roughly 62,000 San Franciscans have voted, overwhelmingly by mail. In San Mateo County, more than 24,000 people have returned ballots, largely by mail, and in Santa Clara County, more than 38,000 people have sent in their ballots, with more than 28,000 putting them in a drop box.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, California is sending all of its more than 21 million registered, active voters a ballot and most people are expected to vote by mail. State election officials have encouraged that to keep physical polling places open for people who need them. For instance, the deadline to register to vote by mail is Oct. 19, but residents can still go to a polling place to register and vote in person through Election Day, which is Nov. 3 this year.

“More Californians voting early will mean a safer Election Day for everyone — voters, poll workers, and elections officials alike,”

Padilla said. “By voting early, you help preserve in-person voting for those who need it — including our neighbors with disabilities, those who need language assistance, or those who need access to Same Day Voter Registration.”

Some states where voting by mail is restricted or requires an application, such as Georgia, have also seen record turnout in person. Georgia voters stood for hours in line on Monday, the first day of early voting, with some 128,000 residents voting — a 40% jump from the 91,000 votes cast the first day of early voting in 2016.

President Trump has repeatedly railed against voting by mail, suggesting without evidence that it will lead to widespread fraud and making the issue politically fraught.

More than 17.5 million people across the country have already voted, according to the U. S. Elections Project, which is overseen by a professor at the University of Florida. In that swing state, more than 2 million people have already cast their ballots.

While Republicans traditionally vote earlier than Democrats, that does not appear to be true this year. Of the 7.8 million ballots returned where states report party affiliation, more than 4.3 million are from Democrats while around 1.9 million are Republicans. Concerns about mail delays and voter suppression among Democrats may be driving some of those numbers.

The actual results won’t be posted anywhere until late on Election Day and will continue to shift as more mailed ballots are tallied, meaning that despite all the early voting, it could be days before winners are declared.

“More Californians voting early will mean a safer Election Day for everyone — voters, poll workers, and elections officials alike. By voting early, you help preserve inperson voting for those who need it — including our neighbors with disabilities, those who need language assistance, or those who need access to Same Day Voter Registration.”

— Secretary of State Alex Padilla