November 01, 2005

"Registrars expect many absentee ballots"

"Next Tuesday's special election could be the first in which half of all votes cast are by absentee ballot.

Several counties, including Marin and Monterey, are already poised to have a majority of their ballots cast by mail. Sonoma County has mailed absentee ballots to 53 percent of its voters.

"More than half of our turnout will be by mail," said Eeve Lewis, Sonoma County's registrar of voters. "Last year, over 50 percent of the turnout was by mail, and in elections in which there is perhaps less interest the percentage expressed by absentee is even greater."

A major increase in requests for absentee ballots -- coupled with low off-year election day turnout -- could spike absentee voting from its statewide high of 33 percent in the Nov. 2004 election to at least 40 percent and possibly 50 percent, the secretary of state and several county registrars say.

"This year it's going to be smaller overall turnout, but I think the percentage of absentee ballots will be 40 percent or more," said Secretary of State Bruce McPherson."

You can read the story here.

Posted by Randy Riddle at November 1, 2005 07:12 AM