Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

California Counties See Higher Turnout Under New Vote Model

Monday, June 18, 2018 | Sacramento, CA
Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Bianca Savola, an election clerk at the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters, inspect a mail-in ballot, Wednesday, May 30, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif.

Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Sophia Bollag, Associated Press

(AP) — Election officials in five California counties that mailed ballots to every voter for this month's primary said the new model appears to have boosted turnout.

Counties were still counting ballots from the June 5 primary, so turnout numbers were preliminary. But the tally done so far in the counties using the new model — Sacramento, Nevada, San Mateo, Madera and Napa — shows turnout on track to exceed or meet voter numbers in the last midterm primary.

In Sacramento County, the largest of the five, turnout among registered voters was on pace to surpass 40 percent, up from just below 30 percent in 2014.

In Napa County, turnout appeared to be at least 47 percent, up from 39 percent in 2014. San Mateo and Nevada counties do not have updated numbers available on their websites, but officials said the rollout went smoothly and that early results are promising. Madera County could not be reached for comment.

It's too early to make a direct comparison to statewide turnout. It's surpassed 32 percent, but up to 1.2 million ballots still need to be counted.

It's also too soon to fully assess how the new model, enacted under a 2016 law called the Voters Choice Act, affected turnout, said Mindy Romero, who studies elections and voting at the University of California, Davis.

A number of other factors could have boosted it, including more competitive races and public outreach from counties about the new model. The 2014 midterm ballot, for example, had no U.S. Senate contest.

If the counties implementing the law end up seeing an uptick, "that is probably more than many people expected in this first inaugural outing," she said.

The five counties chose to switch to the all-mail ballot model this year, and others have the option to use it moving forward.

Many say the changes make voting easier because people can return their ballots by mail or drop them in boxes located throughout the counties. They also can cast their ballot at any voting center in their county instead of having to vote at the polling place in their neighborhood.

Officials said the rollout went smoothly, and the same model will be used in November.

Greg Diaz, Nevada County's top election official, said it takes several election cycles for voter behavior to change and that the law's effects will only become clear in two to three cycles. He noted that the number of provisional ballots fell from thousands in 2014 to less than 100 this election.

When a person's voter eligibility can't immediately be determined, such as when they show up at the wrong polling place, they must cast a provisional ballot that takes longer to process than a regular ballot.

For the November election, Diaz said he plans to add better signs, install more drop boxes at popular locations and collect ballots from the boxes more frequently.

Alice Jarboe, Sacramento County's interim registrar, described the rollout as "fantastic."

"We saw a crazy wonderful amount of ballots being returned at a vote center or at a drop box," she said.

Legislative staffer Ashley Labar dropped off her and her husband's ballots at a Sacramento voting center during a break from work the day before the election. She said the new model gave her more flexibility and made it easier for her to vote as the mother of two young children.

"Voting by mail is the wave of the future," said Mark Church, San Mateo's chief elections officer. "The counties that implemented the Voters Choice Act in this election will help to determine the future course of elections throughout the state."


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Election 2018

  • The Votes Are In. Here's How To Follow Along With CapRadio's Election Coverage.

    CapRadio's coverage of the 2018 elections.

    Related Stories

  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento County Set A Record For Midterm Voter Turnout In 2018

    Monday, December 3, 2018
    Sacramento County set a new record for turnout in a midterm election in 2018 as more than 68 percent of registered voters cast a ballot, up from 48 percent in 2014.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento County Estimates More Than 135,000 Ballots Remain To Process A Week After Primary Election

    Tuesday, June 12, 2018
    Turnout is poised to surpass the most recent primary election, but it’s still too soon to determine whether Sheriff Scott Jones will avoid a runoff in November.
  • Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio

    Sacramento Is Ditching Polling Places For ‘Voter Centers.’ Will People Be Confused?

    Tuesday, June 5, 2018
    Sacramento County is switching to a “voter center” model for today’s election, but some people are concerned the change may confuse voters.

 Election 2018

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

California allocates $20M toward abortion clinics’ physical, digital security

January 25, 2023

AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

Progressive lawmakers push for tax on California billionaires’ overall net worth

January 24, 2023

Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

Cal State contends with 'unprecedented' enrollment declines

January 26, 2023

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: Pyongyang under lockdown for respiratory disease

Behind The I-80 Castle: A Drag-Racing, Beauty School Mogul’s Dream House

Cal State contends with 'unprecedented' enrollment declines

California allocates $20M toward abortion clinics’ physical, digital security

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

California coronavirus updates: Pyongyang under lockdown for respiratory disease

Behind The I-80 Castle: A Drag-Racing, Beauty School Mogul’s Dream House

Cal State contends with 'unprecedented' enrollment declines

California allocates $20M toward abortion clinics’ physical, digital security

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.