With voters heading to the polls in just one week for a critical midterm election, officials are issuing a reminder to triple-check polling places if voting in person.
San Jose recently had to make a couple of last-minute polling place changes because of vandalism.
Workers are feverishly opening and processing ballots in the main center of the Registrar of Voters office, while the counting of ballots takes place in another secure, private room.
“Yeah, ballots are coming in. We expect 55% to 60% voter turnout, which is on par with previous gubernatorial elections,” said Michael Borja, a spokesman for the Registrar of Voters.
However, those who wait until Election Day to cast their ballots in person might find a few changes in San Jose. The registrar recently sent a letter to voters noting that two scheduled voting centers will not open.
One of them is White Road Baptist Church in San Jose. The church put up a notice advising voters that its doors will be closed on Election Day.
The other is the shuttered Joseph George Middle School. As reported two weeks ago, Joseph George was hit by vandals, destroying the campus. The damage was extensive enough that a change had to be made on Election Day, and that is exactly what the registrar did.
“Two facilities that agreed to host a vote center unexpectedly canceled, and those two facilities were in close range of each other, so we added a replacement voting center nearby,” Borja said.
The Latino College Prep Academy will now serve as a replacement polling place on Election Day. The registrar notes there are four other voting centers nearby as well, not to mention secure drop boxes and mailboxes across the city where people can drop off their ballots on Election Day.
On its website, the registrar also features a virtual map with all the vote centers nearby.
“The registrar will be at it from now until Election Day,” said NBC Bay Area reporter Damian Trujillo during a live standup. “And if your voting center has to be closed, the registrar says it still has a lot of options to vote.”
Despite various hurdles, some voters are making sure their voices are heard. Kevin Reth came personally in a wheelchair to the registrar after not receiving his ballot in the mail.
“I got my vote in, you might say,” Reth said, adding there is no excuse not to vote.
Getting there was not easy, but Reth said it is necessary.
“I got a lot of roadblocks today. The bus had to change the stops. There’s construction. Had to back up, go around, tried to get across the street,” he said.
Reth urges everyone to learn their ballot and cast their vote, no matter the obstacles.
