Votebeat

Elections

A free ride, and a chance to vote

Election Day in Vallejo and Benicia offered a new feature: free bus service from the suburban residential areas into polling stations scattered across the two small cities in Solano County on the edge of the San Francisco Bay. From 6:30 a.m. until the polls closed last night at 8:00, the county bus service, SolTrans, provided […]

By Eliza Partika • November 4, 2020

Elections

California facing a “moderate” risk from right-wing militias

Just five days ahead of Election Day, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued a bulletin to law enforcement about state laws that prohibit voter interference and intimidation.  But how likely is it that voters will face threats, or even violence? And where?  California has been identified as one of the states with a “moderate” risk […]

By Nahima Shaffer • November 3, 2020

Elections

California election day 2020: The vote is in

Today’s the day, and CalMatters has a contingent of Votebeat reporters deployed around the state to bring you round-the-clock coverage of the 2020 Election. More than 11.2 million Californians voted early. Everyone else will cast their ballots in person today and we will be watching how that works, from the count, to any voting interference, […]

By CalMatters Staff • November 3, 2020

Elections

California’s teen voters more engaged, want to make a difference

More California teens are registered to vote this year than in 2016, reflecting higher engagement and a determination to make a difference.

By Michael Lozano • November 2, 2020

Elections

The last of the early voters

From the time Geoffrey Bara parked his car to the moment he walked out of the Agoura Hills Courtyard Hotel with an ‘I Voted’ sticker, only seven minutes had passed. Bara is one of many voters choosing to visit a polling place in the final days of voting across California. Twelve million people have voted […]

By Zachary Fletcher and Ley Heimgartner • November 2, 2020

Elections

Pro-Trump caravans draw crowds and concerns

Up and down the state from Humboldt to Riverside counties, supporters of President Donald Trump took to the streets in cars, trucks and other vehicles on the last weekend before election day. In caravans labeled the “Red Wave,” they were honking and yelling out their support for the president’s reelection.  In at least one case, […]

By Freddy Brewster and Katie Licari • November 2, 2020

Elections

Here’s what record early returns mean for speed of California’s vote tally

More than 11 million ballots had been returned to California elections departments as of Saturday. Many already have been processed, and are ready to be quickly totaled on election night. Look for early returns by 8:30 p.m.

By Lewis Griswold and Aaron Leathley • November 2, 2020

Elections

In Norman Rockwell country, everyone votes by mail

As of Sunday night, 70 percent of voters in Plumas County had returned their ballots. The figures were similarly high in Alpine and Sierra Counties, hovering near 65 percent and dwarfing the statewide average of 49 percent.  What do Plumas, Alpine and Sierra have in common? These three counties — all rural, sparsely populated and […]

By Robin Estrin • November 2, 2020

Elections

Counting votes: “We’d rather get it right than get it fast”

 Lea este artículo en español. It’s the weekend before Election Day.  Elections officials across California are already processing the 9 million-plus ballots returned thus far.  But don’t expect the full picture to emerge until well after November 3.  Counting all vote-by-mail, provisional and same-day voter registration ballots, in addition to those in-person ballots cast in the […]

By Dylan Svoboda • October 30, 2020

Elections

Voters flood election offices with last-minute questions

“Can I still register to vote?” “What if I never received my ballot?”  “When will we know the results?” Those are among the most common questions fielded by the Ventura County registrar’s office, where the phone has been ringing nonstop. Between 600 and 800 calls come in daily, said Registrar Miranda Nobriga.  Nobriga tells voters […]

By Freddy Brewster • October 30, 2020