The polling station at Citadelle Street waits for voters Tuesday, June 5. The polling place had only had 25 voters by late afternoon. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
A couple cats their ballots in the polling station set up in the Fire Station 96 engine bay Tuesday, June 5. The polling place had 52 voters into late afternoon. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
A voters cats her ballot at the polling place on Monterey Court in southern Tracy on Tuesday, June 5. Poll workers had seen only about 50 voters into the late afternoon, and voter turnout was expected to be low throughout the state. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
According to unofficial polling results released Wednesday, June 6, by the San Joaquin County Registrar’s Office, there were 271,250 registered voters eligible to participate in Tuesday’s election. Of them, 70,252 voters — just short of 26 percent — cast a ballot Tuesday.
During the Feb. 2008 presidential primary, which was more hotly contested, about 54 percent of the county’s 245,781 registered voters submitted a ballot.
Austin Erdman, the San Joaquin County registrar of voters, said Wednesday that the low voter turnout was “happening, apparently, all over Northern California.”
At the state level, only 24 percent of 17,153,699 registered voters participated in Tuesday’s election.
Erdman said he thought the lack of competition among the presidential frontrunners, Democratic candidate President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, kept people at home.
“Basically, the top of the ticket drives the ballot … and that’s already been decided,” he said.
Erdman also speculated that many voters decided to forgo the primary because in all the races, except for the presidential election, the top two candidates will have a runoff Nov. 6.
“The only (campaigns) that are really hotly contested are the local races,” he said. “But those, people seem to think those are going to the runoff, so it doesn’t really matter there, either. From what I’m hearing, it’s going to be a huge November election.”
A new aspect of Tuesday’s election was a top-two open primary system, in which the top vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to November.
“What we’re finding is the fact that people are pretty straightforward and understand what’s going on,” Erdman said.
Mandy Maxson, 27, of Tracy, said she liked the two-candidate selection system and thought voters should be able to vote outside of their registered party’s line.
“I mean, it’s totally fair,” she said after casting her vote Tuesday at a Tracy Boulevard polling place. “If you’ve got a bunch of people going against you and voting to get you out, then that’s totally fair, because we are all Americans and we all get an opinion.”
Juan Guerrero said he preferred the old system, with all main parties guaranteed to be represented on a November general election ballot.
“I like the primary where you vote your party candidate in and decide from there, rather than maybe letting a single party monopolize the seats,” said the 51-year-old. “It’s more of a choice, because there aren’t that many people now that accept a party platform; there is a lot of diversity. Giving people that choice is important.”
I meant "absentee' and "roo" is "too."
I am a true American and I did not go to the polls roo.
Huh? Like many I know, they did not go to polls because they filled an absnntee ballot like myself.
I cannot drive and others have work and other activities they have to do that makes them unable to go to the polls.
It was never mentioned in the article about the absentee ballots? Maybe SJ county had many voters then?
Really about th only one I can come up with deals with th levyin of taxes. If taxes are only paid by property owners then by rights of fairness an equal representation under th law, only property owners should be allowed ta levy those taxes on themself an those without property should have no vote in th matter.
Taxes that blanket all of th population should be voted on by all th population that is legally intitled ta vote.
One might argue that taxes, like fer schools, are paid by non-property owners in th form of higher rent but that's inflationary an under th current state of th economy not fair as there is a wealth of empty rental units out thair generatin no income because of th economy that still have ta have taxes paid on em.
If we're talkin fair, we need ta ensure it is fair ta everyone straight across th board.
I know many will disagree.