June 3, 2012 - Santa Rosa: Elections Officials Hope For More Ballots

Paper: Press Democrat, The (Santa Rosa, CA)
Title: Santa Rosa: Elections Officials Hope For More Ballots
Date: June 3, 2012
Author: Mary Callahan

The Sonoma County elections office was bustling with activity Saturday, but County Clerk Janice Atkinson said mail-in ballot returns still appeared to be below the usual level four days before a presidential primary vote.

Special drop-off centers set up in nine communities around the county on Saturday helped boost the numbers, collecting hundreds of what used to be termed "absentee ballots."

"We've had kind of a rush of business today," she said.

The county has issued 165,000 vote-by-mail ballots for Tuesday's election, but it's too late to mail them.

All ballots must be received by the Registrar of Voters by 8 p.m. Tuesday to be counted.

About 37 percent had been turned in by mid-day Saturday, compared to more than 55 percent four days before the 2008 California presidential primary vote.

That was a different election -- held in February when party nominations were still up in the air.

Atkinson still hopes more voters will get their ballots turned in.

The Sonoma County's elections office at 435 Fiscal Drive in the County Center has a drive-through window -- the only one in California -- where voters can turn in ballots beginning at 8 a.m. each weekday.

The office is open until 5 p.m. Monday and until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Ballots also can be turned it at any polling place.

-- Mary Callahan

Edition: STREET
Section: Local
Page: B11
Column: AROUND THE EMPIRE
Index Terms: ELECTION
Record Number: 1206036655053
Copyright (c) 2012 The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA)