Thousands Of Angelenos Hit Polling Centers Across LA County For Tuesday Recall Election
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County election officials have opened 255 vote centers for people to vote in Tuesday's gubernatorial recall election.
The centers opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until polls close at 8 p.m. for in-person voting, or to return a completed vote-by-mail ballot.
"I like being there in person," said Erin Hernandez, a voter. "Make it feel like you're really doing it. Like your vote is really counting."
Registered voters should have received a vote-by-mail ballot, which can also be returned by mail or at one of 400 official drop boxes.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk office spokesperson Mike Sanchez told CBSLA that as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, 45,100 ballots had been in cast in-person at polling places countywide. This is in addition to 166,000 ballots that were cast during early in-person voting, which began Sept. 4.
"They're always in dual custody and the ballots themselves are in sealed containers," said Dean Logan, LA County Registrar. "There's a full chain of custody involved in that. that's all prescribed by state regulations."
So far, 1.8 million vote-by-mail ballots have been received from L.A. County voters, Sanchez added.
According to L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, all vote centers are following current public health and safety guidelines.
To find a vote center, dropbox, sample ballot, or to find the status of a ballot that has already been submitted, visit lavote.net.
The L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is also offering free rides on its trains and bike-share system to ensure people can get to a polling place.
Voters are being asked two questions on their recall ballots. The first is whether Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled, and the second is who should succeed him in the event he is.
If over 50% of voters approve the recall, then the new governor would be selected from the candidate who receives the highest number of votes on question two.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
