Final Ballots Still Getting Processed as Proposition 50 Holds a Large Lead in the California Special Election
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara County turnout for the California Proposition 50 election Tuesday showed a massive preference for the vote by mail process.
The ballot had just one item, Prop 50 redistricting, and it was statewide with about two-thirds of the voters casting a yes vote.
In Santa Barbara County there was a steady stream of cars and people around the elections office up until the polls closed at 8 p.m.
The special voter ballot boxes were also emptied and locked at that time.
There was a turnout of about 35 percent by mail and the rest were in person for a total estimate at this point of 39 percent.
One voter Steve Fort said the vote by mail is convenient and he stopped in person voting during the pandemic.
“I used to like the act of going to do it and going to a place, but Covid just kind of changed that. Just switched to mail.”
Isla Vista residents, mostly UC Santa Barbara students, were determined to vote, even as the polls were closing.
Emily Hanniff said, “I’m finally at the age where I can make my own decisions and where I finally can act on my civic duty to vote. And I think when there’s a time when there’s so many people that are being marginalized in so many marginalized communities, being oppressed, it’s like even more now. It’s a community issue. It’s not just a political issue. “
Those in line when the polls closed at 8 p.m. are always allowed to cast a ballot,
Jennifer NNoli said she was happy with the policy. “That’s great that they felt the need to make their vote count and make sure that it was in the ballots for the people to know.”
It is unknown exactly how many ballots are left to be counted but that will be known this week.
One voter did not expect to hear that 60 percent of the voters did not cast a ballot.
Diego Fernandez said, “Yeah, that’s surprising, especially because we have so many young people here. I come from the Bay area where politically young people are often on the forefront of, you know, political movements and voting is a huge part of that.”
The final ballots to come in are still being verified and counted to have a final result sheet for the Secretary of State on December 12.
The number of remaining ballots and the date for the next totals update is still being determined.
The returns show:
Voters Cast: 100,133 of 250,857
Turnout 39.92%