One Last Day To Vote In Person. Here’s What To Expect At San Diego County Polls

Speaker 1: 00:00 With over a million early voting ballots already cast and the County San Diegans have this one last day to head to the polls to take part in what many are calling at a stark election? San Diego is 235 in-person polling places are up and running and ballot drop boxes are located in libraries and other facilities across the County. Joining made to tell us how the voting has been going and what you need to know about this last voting day of the 2020 election season is San Diego County register of voters, Michael VU, and Michael, welcome back. Speaker 2: 00:34 Thanks for having me today. Election day Speaker 1: 00:36 Now with so many early voting ballots already cast, are you expecting long lines of polling places today? Speaker 2: 00:43 We always expect along the lines at, uh, an election of this magnitude, but certainly a part of that is being dampered as a result of so many people returning their mail ballots in advance of today. Um, as you said, is we have over a million of mail ballots that have been returned. In fact, we have now in our possession over 1.2 million at mail ballots, but we've got to realize that we have nearly 2 million registered voters. And so those individuals that we don't have, their mail ballots could go to their respective polling locations Speaker 1: 01:11 Is San Diego's turnout already breaking records. I mean, what's your total turnout estimate? Speaker 2: 01:16 Well, what am I estimating is around 80 to 85%. If we hit the 80% Mark, that's going to be particularly for the most part on average of what we've seen in the last four presidential general elections, which is on average 79.5%. Um, it's been historic thus far. The question is whether or not that trend will continue particularly today as individuals exercise their ability to go in-person to any one of the 235 super pawn locations, uh, to vote as opposed to voting their respective mail ballots. Now it's been historic on a number of different levels and unchartered on other levels as well. Not only the fact that we opened our super polling locations, uh, three days in advance of today. Uh, but the fact that we're doing everything differently in terms of that in-person voting experience, the fact that everyone received, uh, that was a registered voter, uh, by October 19th, a mail ballot. All of those is historic in so many different levels. The fact that tonight, when we released the first set of results at 8:00 PM shortly after the polls closed, that the number will be a pretty large number. I anticipate it's going to be anywhere from 60 to 70%, or maybe even more than that, uh, of the overall votes cast in this election. Once I certified it Speaker 1: 02:27 Now, Michael, if someone has filled out their mail in ballot, but they haven't mailed it in yet, what should they do today Speaker 2: 02:34 If they have not mailed in their respect? About my first recommendation is there are 361 established locations by the registrar voters office that you can drop off your respect to mail ballots. That's the 126 mail about drop-off locations or, uh, any of the 235 super polling locations that are out there. All of these locations were opened at 7:00 AM and will continue to be open until eight to, for you to drop off your respect of mail ballot. Now, if you want to drop it through the mail, that's fine. Uh, but know that it has to be postmarked by today. It has to be postmarked by today, uh, and received within 17 days, which is November 20th for us to consider a timely cast. Uh, for me, I would not chance it. I would go to any one of the 361 sites that I just mentioned. Speaker 1: 03:20 Okay. And where can they find those sites? Speaker 2: 03:23 S Steve vogt.com is where you can find our super polling locations, as well as our mail ballot drop-off locations. Uh, if you want to know where your super poll location is, it's on the, also on the back of your sample ballot pamphlet. We also send out a postcard notice for every voter, which also had where their super poll location was Speaker 1: 03:41 Now, even if a potential voter has been this late in finding out that they aren't registered, they can still vote at a polling place today. Can't they? Speaker 2: 03:50 That is correct. Moraine. Is, is that an individual who did not register on time by October 19th can still participate in this election are encouraged to participate in this election. Uh, what they would need to do is get to their assigned polling location and what they would do is conditionally registered to vote and vote a provisional ballot. Uh, once it comes back to our office, we'll be able to enter their registration form, validate that they haven't voted anywhere else, and then be able to count the ballot. Speaker 1: 04:16 Any tips for voters who were heading to the polls today, Michael, Speaker 2: 04:21 Uh, wear your mask and bring your mask. If you forget it, that's okay because we will have masks at every single one of our super polling locations that is out there, uh, be confident to know that we've done everything in our power, uh, to keep voters safe and healthy, as well as our poll workers too, Speaker 1: 04:37 Since so many mail-in ballots have already been mailed in, and you've been counting them all along. Could we expect some, uh, um, races to be resolved tonight, some local races to be resolved tonight because of the volume of mail in ballots already counted. Speaker 2: 04:53 Uh, that could be the case. Um, it, because that first report out will be a large number of the votes cast in this upcoming election, uh, but know that there are still many more boats that are out there and it really is going to be dependent on how close the, and how well or how wide the race is between two candidates or between the yes and no vote on any particular measure that is out there Speaker 1: 05:15 After the first results are released tonight by your office. When is the next ballot count? Announced Speaker 2: 05:20 It will be Thursday evening is when we will release the next set of results. So tonight will be all of the precincts from today's, uh, sets of ballots that were cast. We'll get into the count all 572 precincts, which are reporting to those 235 super polling locations need to be accounted for tonight. And then after the tonight's count, then we will go into what is known as the certification period. And that's the period for us to count any remaining timely cast ballots, including mail polling place, as well as provisional ballots and do all the other things that we need to do to button up the election. Speaker 1: 05:54 I have been speaking with San Diego County register of voters, Michael VU, Michael, thank you. And good luck. Thank you so much, Maureen.