HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10181988 - 2.3 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ++
FROM: Phil Batchelor l.�l.Jl tra
County Administrator C )sta
DATE: October 13 , 1988 CjO^
SUBJECT: Steps Which Can Be Taken to Avoid
Long Waits at Polling Places
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND APD JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Encourage voters to read their sample ballot and voters '
handbook well in advance of election day and mark their
sample ballot at home. This will make it possible to mark
the ballot very quickly when the voter gets to the polling
place on election day. Trying to wait until you get to the
polling place to read through all of the measures that are
on the ballot will be nearly impossible and will slow down
the voting for everyone.
2. Encourage voters to vote early in the day if at all
possible. Two-thirds of all ballots are typically cast
after 4: 00 P.M. This is the time when lines are most likely
to occur. While there is sometimes a line when the polls
open in the morning, this usually clears quickly and for the -
rest of the day there is seldom any waiting to vote until
the very heavy voting after 4 :00 P.M.
3 . One additional possibility is to encourage more use of the
absentee ballot. If everyone were to use the absentee
ballot to vote there would be problems in that counting
absentee ballots is labor-intensive and slows down the final
vote tally. However, every voter does have a right to vote
an absentee ballot currently and doing so would certainly
guarantee that the voter will not stand in any lines which
may form on election day.
BACKGROUND:
On November 8 , 1988, Contra Costa voters will face the most
number of State propositions since 1922 when there were 30
statewide measures on the ballot. In addition, with the number
of local measures on the ballot this year, the total November 8
ballot will probably be the longest ever faced by voters in ,this
County.
Some concerns have been expressed regarding the possibility of
long lines at polling places for the November /8y , 1988 election,
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _ YES SIGNATURE: I
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X RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
X APPROVE ` OTHER
S I GNATURE IS 1: pvp
ACTION OF BOARD ON October 18, 1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES; NOES. AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT; ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS
�ONN THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Board Members ATTESTED CJ��:�✓ ��' ���d
County Administrator
Elections Supervisor PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY �C�G.wt G.,• I�.-s�-+a1C/ ,
M382/7-83 DEPUTY
Page 2
because of the length of the ballot. Most voters in Contra Costa
will have five computer cards to vote, using both sides of the
cards. This office has been asked to suggest some things voters
can do to avoid waiting in long lines at polling places. The
Elections Supervisor notes that Contra Costa County has 720
precincts located throughout the County. He does not anticipate
problems with voters having to stand in long lines, particularly
if they have read their ballot ahead of time and know how they
want to vote when they get to their polling place and if they can
vote early in the day.
As we have suggested above, the best advice to a voter is to be
well prepared to vote when he or she gets to the polling place
and to vote early in the day. A voter is certainly more likely
to be able to make up his or her mind more easily on the vast
number of measures and offices on the ballot if he or she has
taken a few hours at home to go over the State voters ' handbook,
the materials prepared on the local measures and knows how he or
she wants to vote for the various offices. By marking the sample
ballot which will be mailed to each registered voter and then
taking the completed sample ballot to the polling place, an
individual can vote more quickly and save everyone time.