Democracy in action
Voters voice concerns about being heard, costs of living and change
Voters in Tuolumne County who got up early and dressed for cold, wet weather to cast their ballots in rainy downtown Sonora said they were motivated by concerns about lack of representation at times, the rising costs of living and effecting change on Election Day.
“I think everybody should take advantage of the opportunity to have their voices heard, today of all days,” Caroline Kirk, 49, of Sonora, said at the county Elections Office at 2 S. Green St. in downtown Sonora before 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. “Our voices don’t get heard all the other days.”
Robert Lopez, 59, of Sonora, filled out a form before casting his ballot about 7:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Elections Office.
Lopez said he was motivated to vote by rising costs and by his right to cast his own ballot on Election Day.
“The constitution gives us the right to vote,” Lopez said. “I don’t like the inflation. I can’t believe the price of gas, the price of food. It’s just me now. All my family has moved out. You can’t save. You put in all the overtime
you can, and it’s all for naught. It isn’t nice. It isn’t good. And it isn’t fair.”
Brian Shrigley, 49, of Sonora, a candidate for a seat on the Tuolumne Utilities District Board of Directors against incumbent Ron Ringen, also came to vote at the Elections Office while it was raining Tuesday morning in downtown Sonora.
“I believe it’s time for a change, locally and nationally,” Shrigley said after he filled out his ballot and placed it in a locked ballot box.
Aside from voting for himself, Shrigley said he was motivated to cast his ballot by rising costs, especially the price of gas in California.
“I think gas prices and water rights and housing, we need to focus on all these locally and nationally,” Shrigley said. “Here in the state, why are gas prices so much higher than the national average? It is time for change.”
National election analysts have been forecasting the potential for a “red wave” of voters Tuesday that could shift the balance of power in Congress toward Republicans.
Local weather forecasts in Sonora showed 100% chances of rain from 9 a.m. to at least 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Thanks in part to pre-election Day options, including mail-in voting and ballot drop-off boxes, weather was unlikely to severely impact total turnout in Tuolumne
County.
County Clerk and Auditor-controller Debi Bautista, who serves as registrar of voters, said at a public meeting about 9 a.m. Tuesday that there was a “really strong possibility” they will have processed more than 16,000 ballots by the end of the day.
“That’s almost as much as how many people voted in the June (primary) election,” she said.
A total of 17,092 Tuolumne County voters cast ballots in the June 7 primary election, a turnout of about 48.5%.
There were 11,179 ballots counted by the end of election night in the June primary. An additional 5,913 ballots were processed and tallied over the next several days, which shifted the outcomes of some key local races, including for county superintendent of schools.
Bautista said people have been sending in ballots early for this election, and she believes the county will have a strong turnout.
The county’s turnout was about 45% as of 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, much higher than the statewide turnout of about 27% on Monday.
“To Tuolumne County voters, I’m really proud of you,” Bautista said. “We’ll be a whole lot stronger than the state, and at least your voice will be heard.”