The highly anticipated and hard-fought 2020 presidential race saw a surge both in registration and early voting in California due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that didn’t stop voters from flocking to election centers on Election Day to cast their ballots in the campaign’s final hours.
California saw voter registration reach an all-time high for the Nov. 3 election with more than 22 million signing up to cast ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s office. But only about half of those ballots had been returned at the start of the week — nearly 5.4 million by mail, 4.3 million at drop boxes and 1 million at vote centers and other drop-off locations.
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Election officials noted there’s still time, places and ways for eligible voters to cast a ballot Tuesday. Those who waited all had their reasons. For many, voting on Election Day is a tradition even the coronavirus can’t break.
“I’ve voted this way for many years, I’ve always walked my dog down here in front of the courthouse,” said Oakland resident Jason Montano, 46, as he took his pooch Emma to drop off his ballot Tuesday morning at a box outside the Alameda County Courthouse, where a slow but steady trickle of cars were pulling up.
Many didn’t trust their ballot would be counted unless they showed up in person.
“I just wanted to make sure my vote got cast,” said Tim Bell of Sunnyvale, who voted at the Levi’s Stadium vote center to ensure his ballot and vote for President Trump would be delivered.
Oakland residents Nora Gonzalez, 55, and Charlie Gonzalez, 52, had similar concerns about their ballot.
“It seems to be like a lot of opportunity for fraud, and this is unprecedented so we think that we don’t want to take a chance, because it’s a possibility,” Charlie Gonzalez said.
Oakland residents Chris Kimmel, 36, and Javiera Garces, 25, were concerned the ballot she was issued had her name misspelled.
“I figured I can show up in person, and she can get her ballot fixed, I can feel comfortable,” Kimmel said.
Gayle McDowell of Palo Alto wanted to impress the importance of voting on her 6-year-old son so she took him along as she dropped off her ballot at the Vote Center at the city’s Art Center.
“I wanted to take my son to see the experience of voting and get him involved and aware of civic responsibility,” McDowell said.
In a campaign season marked by high emotion over a highly divisive presidential campaign mostly being waged outside heavily Democratic California and worries over this year’s ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there was a mix of anxiety and importance about the occasion among voters Tuesday.
A steady but slow stream of voters filed through San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Plaza on Tuesday morning, where volunteers at the East San Jose voting station handed out coffee and breakfast burritos. Poll workers expected a solid turnout despite official “Vote Here” signs being torn down overnight.
“This is fantastic for me,” said Daniel Zucon, 47, a Brazil native who became a U.S. citizen in February, as he cast his first ballot Tuesday morning for Trump with his wife, Margarita Arteaga-Zucon, 51, who took a personal day from her tech job to vote with him. They wanted their voices heard at the polls — not with a mail-in ballot.
Dore Fisher, 56, an Army veteran, felt similarly, but though he’d voted for Trump four years ago, this time he cast his ballot for Joe Biden, the Democratic former vice president. Fisher had planned to mail in his vote, but became skeptical and drove his motorized wheelchair to the plaza, feeling the only way to send a message was to vote in person.
“I wanted my vote to be counted,” Fisher said.
Jay Khan, 25, of East San Jose, studied his ballot for a couple of weeks before deciding to vote Tuesday. Khan, who owns his own auto detailing business, was skeptical about both presidential candidates. But he voted to support good leadership for the Alum Rock and East Side school districts, and said “maybe it will make a difference.”
At the Richmond Civic Auditorium, a site for very busy pre-election voting, there was a steady stream of voters Tuesday morning, with poll workers expecting a busy night.
Sharlee Battle, 29, of Richmond, who was helping direct people to the polls here, sensed a bit of anxiety from the voters she saw, and feared unrest no matter who wins the presidency.
“I’m nervous both ways,” Battle said. “It could spill over into chaos.”
Staff writers Lisa Krieger, Rick Hurd and George Avalos contributed. This story will be updated.
