Tuesday is the deadline to cast a ballot in the California gubernatorial recall election, and voters can do so at one of 221 voting locations around the county or at the San Diego County Registrar's Office until 8 p.m.
The vote will decide whether Gov. Gavin Newsom remains in office, and if not, who would replace him. The latest polls suggest Newsom will win the election after likely voters appeared almost evenly split just one month ago.
Early voting has been underway for weeks, and all registered voters were sent mail ballots as a COVID-19 precaution. Those still holding onto their mail-in ballots can return them to one of 131 ballot drop-off locations or to any voting location. Ballot drop-off sites will also be open until 8 p.m.
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The polls at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in National City were fairly quiet Tuesday morning. Jazmin Diaz was among those who cast ballots there. She said she voted "yes" on the recall and blamed Newsom, a Democrat, for rising gas prices. She added that Newsom "was very hypocritical" in his handling of the pandemic.
Michaela Subido voted against the recall, and said Newsom was "doing all that he can given the circumstances." She said she feared a Republican governor would pose a threat to abortion rights.
"I believe in the autonomy of my body as a woman, given everything going on in Texas and the decisions that have been made there," Subido said. Texas recently enacted the nation's strictest ban on abortions, barring them at the roughly sixth week of pregnancy.
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Samantha Hinkle also mentioned abortion rights as a critical issue that influenced her decision to vote against the recall. She added that Newsom had done a good job at lowering the number of deaths and hospitalizations from COVID-19, and that she wouldn't trust a Republican to do the same.
"I just don't want things to go back or have (California) be a red state," Hinkle said.
Voters who are in line at a voting location or drop-off location at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote. However, no one can join the line to vote after the 8 p.m. deadline.
All in-person voters for this election will use ballot marking devices. The voter uses a touch screen to make a selection. When finished, the voter will print out a paper official ballot with his or her selections. Voters can review the ballot and place it in the ballot box to be counted at the Registrar's Office on election night. This device does not store, tabulate or count any votes.
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Ballot marking devices are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and in addition to English, voters have the ability to select a translated ballot in one of the county's four federally covered languages: Spanish, Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese.
The Registrar of Voters has put in place protocols to ensure the health and safety of election workers, voters and observers at the Registrar's Office, voting locations and ballot drop-off locations.
As in all elections, the office works collaboratively with local law enforcement agencies to ensure voting locations and mail ballot drop-off locations are safe and voters can cast their ballot free from any interference, disruption or intimidation from others.
To learn more about voting in the recall election, visit sdvote.com or call 858-565-5800.
