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San Diego County Voters Head To The Polls

San Diego County Voters Head To The Polls
San Diego County Voters Head To The Polls
San Diego County Voters Head To The Polls GUEST: Kenny Goldberg, reporter, KPBS News

Our top story, it's finally here, the California primary. It may be an intake Climax -- anti-climax. With all of the pent-up energy and the newly registered voters in San Diego, it's still an exciting collection. I spoke with reporter Kenny Goldberg, who's been talking with voters. What is it like where you are? >> Right now, we're at the registrar of voters office and it's a steady stream of voters coming in and turning in their ballots. There's a whole hub of activity. Earlier today, we were at a polling place in the college neighborhood, where they had about half a dozen voters in the half an hour that we were there. >> What have the poll workers told you about how voting is going? >> It's going smoothly. They haven't seen any problems. They have all of the ballots they need in five different languages. Some precincts have an additional foreign language that they have to provide ballots for. It's a complex process. >> You spoke with a couple of people who are coming out to vote, what did they have to say? >> I spoke to a woman named Erica Diaz, who came to the registrar to cast her ballot. She says she would not have missed it for the world. >> I think this is one of the biggest elections in my lifetime, I'm 34 years old. The presidential primaries, at this point are very contentious. >> I asked Susan Rogers who lives in the area, what the voting process is like. >> It's super easy. My husband helped me do the homework on the candidates. >> I understand that one of the people you spoke with had some ideas about how to increase voter turnout. >> This voter I spoke to thought that we should do more things online. You can register to vote online, you still cannot cast your ballot online. She was telling me, with all the things you can do online from banking to you name it, why can't we vote online. She thought that would be a way to increase voter turnout. >> Have you heard of any trouble at polling places around town? >> I haven't heard of any trouble, so far. We spoke to the registrar of voters, Michael Vu and he said things are going quite smoothly. We will have to see if that holds out for the rest of the day, as they get more voters coming in. >> One of the things that I know the registrar of voters is monitoring, is making sure people who show up get the ballot that they want. Can you tell us about that? >> Nonpartisan voters are not eligible to vote in a presidential primary, unless they request a specific ballot from one of three parties. That would be Democratic, the independent or the Libertarian party. When a nonpartisan voter goes to the polls, they have to request one of those ballots. Poll workers and the registrar say they are monitoring that very closely, to make sure people get the appropriate ballot. >> You said that there are times, during the day, when things pick up. I would imagine that, the noon hour might be one of those times. When could voters see some lines at the polls? >> I would suspect, that there may be a rush during the noon hour. There may have been some early this morning, before people went to work. Also, right after work, between 5 PM and 6 PM, there will be a lot more voters out. >> Think you Kenny. I've been speaking with reporter Kenny Goldberg, he is at the San Diego County registrar of voters office. Eggs again. >> Thank you. >> KPBS coverage of the primary begins tonight at 8 PM, you can find the latest results it KPBS.org and it 10:00 P.M., tune into GPS radio -- KPBS radio. For live coverage, tune into KPBS TV.

After months of debates, rallies and political ads, voters in San Diego County will head to the polls Tuesday for the California primary election.

Registrar of Voters Michael Vu said on Monday he expects 55 percent to 60 percent of the county's 1.5 million registered voters will cast ballots in the election. An analysis by the National University System Institute for Policy Research predicts a slightly lower turnout of 50 percent to 53 percent.

San Diego County Voters Head To The Polls
After months of debates, rallies and political ads, the California primary election is here. Democrats will decide between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, San Diegans will vote for mayor, some North County voters will cast ballots for county supervisor. And there's more.

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The county's 1,500 polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. If you need helping finding where you're supposed to vote, you can go online to the registrar's website.

About 30 percent of the 970,000 voters who requested mail-in ballots had returned them as of Monday, Vu said, and more are expected to be returned on Tuesday. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday and received by the registrar by Friday to be counted.

You also can drop off mail-in ballots at one of 23 locations throughout the county, or at a polling place on Tuesday.

One choice voters will be making is in the presidential primary. Republicans know that Donald Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee, though some may still cast votes for other names on the ballot. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will learn who prevailed with the state's voters.

Here are some of the other races to watch as the results come in Tuesday night beginning at 8 p.m.:

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U.S. Senate

The contest to replace U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is retiring, is one of the state’s most closely watched races. California Attorney Kamala Harris is considered the front-runner, with Rep. Loretta Sanchez of Orange County her likely challenger in November. Both are Democrats, and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, go on to the fall election.

The three Republicans with a chance to win a spot on the November ballot are Tom Del Beccaro and Duf Sundheim, both former state GOP chairmen, and software developer Ron Unz, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in the 1990s.

U.S. Congress

The 52nd Congressional District race pits two-term incumbent Democrat Scott Peters against five Republicans. Businesswoman Denise Gitsham and Marine veteran Jacquie Atkinson are Peters’ biggest challengers.

The nationally watched district, which includes La Jolla, Coronado and Rancho Bernardo, is competitive because one-third of the district's registered voters are Republican, a third are Democrats and a third decline to state a preference.

San Diego mayor

KPBS ELECTION COVERAGE

KPBS Radio:

Stream online or tune to 89.5 FM

6-9 p.m.: National election results and analysis by NPR.

9-10 p.m.: State results and analysis from The California Report and NPR.

10-10:30 p.m: KPBS News team provides local election results and analysis live from San Diego's Golden Hall.

11-11:30 p.m.: KPBS News team provides local election results and analysis live from San Diego's Golden Hall.

KPBS TV

5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.: KPBS Evening Edition

10-10:30 p.m: KPBS News team provides local election results and analysis live from San Diego's Golden Hall.

11-11:30 p.m.: KPBS News team provides local election results and analysis live from San Diego's Golden Hall.

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Results, updates, reports, photos and more available beginning at 8 p.m. at www.kpbs.org.

Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter for results and reaction.

Early on in the race for San Diego mayor, incumbent Republican Kevin Faulconer appeared headed for a win with no challengers. Then former Assemblywoman Lori Saldaña, a Democrat turned independent, entered the race this year, followed by city lifeguard Ed Harris, a Democrat.

Faulconer is considered the favorite, and if he wins more than 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday, he will be re-elected.

San Diego city attorney

San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith can't seek re-election because of term limits, and five candidates are vying for his seat.

The crowded field likely means none will get enough votes to skip a November runoff. All are attorneys. Four are Democrats — Gil Cabrera, Rafael Castellanos, Mara Elliott and Bryan Pease. Robert Hickey is the lone Republican.

The top two vote-getters will face off in the November general election.

San Diego City Council

Five of nine San Diego City Council seats are up for election this year. Voters in San Diego City Council District 1, which spans north coastal neighborhoods, may well decide who will control the officially nonpartisan body. The likely front-runners to replace termed-out District 1 incumbent Sherri Lightner are Barbara Bry, a Democrat, and Ray Ellis, a Republican.

In the race for the District 3 seat now held by Democratic Councilman Todd Gloria, the two major candidates are Anthony Bernal and Chris Ward. Both are Democrats.

The two Republican incumbents who represent council Districts 5 and 7 are hoping to win outright Tuesday and avoid November runoffs. Councilman Mark Kersey represents District 5, which includes Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos and Scripps Ranch. The district is the only one in the city with more registered Republicans than Democrats.

Councilman Scott Sherman represents District 7, which includes Tierrasanta, Mission Valley and Linda Vista. Registered Democrats have a slight margin in the district, giving Sherman's competitors campaign fuel.

Voters in City Council District 9, stretching through Kensington, City Heights and Mountain View, will elect their first Latino representative.

Competing for the seat held now by Democrat Marti Emerald, who is retiring, are Ricardo Flores, Georgette Gomez, Araceli Martinez and Sarah Saez. All are Democrats.

San Diego County supervisor

Incumbent Supervisor Dave Roberts, a Democrat, is facing competition for the District 3 seat from two North County Republicans — Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar and Escondido Mayor Sam Abed. Roberts, who was elected in 2012, was the first Democrat elected to the county Board of Supervisors in 20 years.

If none of the candidates wins more than 50 percent of the vote on Tuesday, the top two vote-getters will face off in November.

Proposition H

Proposition H, also known as Rebuild San Diego, was spearheaded by City Councilman Mark Kersey to fix San Diego's crumbling roads and infrastructure. It could raise as much as $4 billion over the next 25 years without raising taxes, though some critics question that figure. It would generate revenue by:

• Reserving any growth in the city's sales tax revenues above the rate of the Consumer Price Index and capturing all cash savings from reduced payments to the city’s pension fund as the pension deficit is paid down.

• Capturing 50 percent of all growth in revenues from property taxes and hotel taxes and franchise fees over the next five years.

The 2024 primary election is March 5. Find in-depth reporting on each race to help you understand what's on your ballot.