Nearly a quarter of all ballots in SJ County returned

STOCKTON — San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Melinda Dubroff this week said that her office is seeing a record number of voters turning out for the Nov. 3 election.

In a media statement released on Monday, Dubroff said that as of Oct. 25, some 81,900 ballots had already been returned to her office. That is 22% of all 365,081 registered voters in the county, she said.

“We know the pandemic was a big factor in voters choosing to vote by mail rather than going to a polling place to vote in person,” Dubroff said in the media statement. “California also made it easier for voters to return their ballots through the mail or to a drop box by automatically sending all registered voters a vote-bymail ballot instead of by voter request.”

Dubroff said the record number of returned ballots indicate residents are excited and motivated to vote in this year’s general election.

Of the nearly 82,000 ballots already returned, 58,000 were mailed to Dubroff ’s office in the San Joaquin County Administration building in downtown Stockton.

Some 22,700 were returned through the 28 ballot drop boxes stationed throughout the county, and an additional 1,200 were hand-delivered to the ROV’s office, Dubroff said.

During the March primary election, 34% of 326,458 registered voters mailed their ballots by election day.

Since March 3, the county has seen voter registration increase by 38,623.

Dubroff said the county is on track to surpass the March turnout.

About 44% of voters 75 years of age and older have already cast their ballots, Dubroff said, while less than 12% of voters age 25-34 have cast ballots. Only 3.8% of voters younger than 25 have cast ballots, she said.

There are still residents in the county who prefer not to return their ballots by mail, but vote in person. They can cast their ballots at one of the 34 voter service centers set up around the county, four of which are in Lodi, and will be open Oct. 31 to Nov. 3.

Those who prefer to vote in person can do so at Woodlake Plaza, 2401 W. Turner Road, Suite 100; the Lodi Grape Festival at 413 E. Lockeford St.; One. Lodi, located at 2248 Tienda Drive; and Hutchins Street Square, located at 125 S. Hutchins St.

There is also a voter service center at the Lockeford Community Center, 19258 N. Jack Tone Road.

Of the 28 official ballot drop-off boxes, four are found in Lodi, including Robinson’s Feed Co., at 1150 E. Victor Road; Van Ruiten Family Winery at 340 W. Highway 12; Lodi City Hall at 221 W. Pine St.; and De Vinci’s Delicatessen and Catering at 220 S. Church St.

Drop boxes can also be found at Viaggio Estate & Winery at 100 E. Taddei Road in Acampo, as well as Young’s Payless IGA at 18980 N. Highway 88 in Lockeford.

If returning your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received by the ROV’s office by Nov. 20.

If returning a ballot in person or placing it in a drop box, it must be delivered no later than the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Anyone may return a ballot for a registered voter, as long as they are not paid on a per ballot basis. In order for a person’s ballot to be counted, the voter must fill out the authorization section found on the outside of the ballot envelope.

“San Joaquin County is absolutely committed to making sure every voter is able to cast their ballot in a safe environment,” Dubroff said. “Voters can read about our public health protocols to feel confident about voting in person. Equally as important, we make sure that every legitimate ballot is secure and counted.”

To view the county’s health and safety protocols for voter service centers, visit www.tinyurl.com/SJCprotocols.