San Joaquin County only has 1 place open for in-person voting
STOCKTON — One week before election day, 29 California counties opened polls for early in-person voting.
However, in San Joaquin County, where nearly 400,000 registered voters live, only one place is open for anyone in the county to cast their vote in person.
The decision to not have early in-person voting countywide is made by each county. In California, it's split down the middle: 29 counties offer it and 29 don't.
San Joaquin County voter Francis Deane was headed into the Registrar of Voters Office to cast her ballot on Tuesday. It's the only place where a voter in the county can go in and cast their vote in person.
"I think there should be more places. I looked online and tried to find a place near my home and this is the only one in San Joaquin County, and I think it should be more accessible to people," she said.
Why doesn't San Joaquin County allow early in-person voting?
"We're a traditional polling place by choice," said Olivia Hale, San Joaquin County's Registrar of Voters. "But right now, we made the decision that this is the best thing moving forward for San Joaquin County."
Hale added that the county Board of Supervisors made the decision in 2023, directing Hale and her office to keep polling places only open on Election Day.
"We staff 171 polling locations for Election Day. If they move us to that model, depending on our population at that time, it would be more days but less centers," Hale said.
You can still mail in your ballot or drop it off at a drop box. On November 5, all polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.