County in hurry to find sites for voting on recall

Marin elections officials are hustling to identify polling sites for the gubernatorial recall vote on Sept. 14.

Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis signed a proclamation on July 1 setting in motion the election to decide whether Gov. Gavin Newsom should remain in office. The move gave elections officials about a month and a half to organize the special election. Aug. 16 is the deadline to submit voter information to the printers, said Colleen Ksanda, program coordinator for the county.

“It’s just a limited amount of time we have to secure locations,” Ksanda said. “We normally have several months to get going.”

Nearly 70 sites throughout the county have committed to participating as a polling place, Ksanda said. By comparison, the pandemic election last fall only had 28 polling places and several ballot drop boxes. The year prior, there were 80 sites, she said.

Many school sites and senior care centers that normally participate have declined. School is in summer session, with administrators and school boards unable to gather in time to plan, Ksanda said. Senior care centers cited the COVID-19 virus threat as a reason they’ve passed.

Ksanda said the elections department started canvassing for potential polling locations the day after the election was called. Representatives for potential polling locations can contact Ksanda by calling 415-473-6439.

One polling inspector, Alice Munoz, has already committed her garage as a polling place for the election. Munoz has been a poll official for her precinct in the Country Club neighborhood in Novato since 1973, and she did the same at her Terra Linda home for about 10 years earlier.

“It’s just a limited amount of time we have to secure locations. We normally have several months to get going.”

— Colleen Ksanda, elections official

The COVID-19 pandemic has not concerned her enough to back out this year, Munoz said.

“I trust people will be smart,” she said. “So many people have gotten used to coming here. … They come here, see their neighbors. It’s a fun way to give back.”

Similar to last November, all registered voters will be mailed a ballot 29 days before the election. Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Ballot drop boxes also will be at the Civic Center at 3501 Civic Center Drive in San Rafael.

More information is at marinvotes.org.