How to ensure your early ballot gets counted

If you are itching to place your vote in the November election, early voting began October 10 and will continue through the Friday proceeding election day.

Early ballots have been sent out to the majority of early voters on the permanent voting lists or those who have chosen to get an early ballot.

The early ballots are encouraged to be returned by October 30 in order for the postal service to be able to return them within a timely manner.

Robyn Pouquette in the Yuma County Recorder’s office says the quick turnaround is suggested because votes are processed and tabulated before election day.

The sooner they are returned, the sooner the election results can be given to the community, she said.

If you have forwarded your address keep in mind and have always gotten an early ballot, election mail cannot be forwarded to that new address.

If this is the case, you must contact the Recorder’s office so they can send you a ballot to your new address.

The ballot must be put in the envelope you are required to sign because your signature will be verified to make sure you do not vote more than once.

If you have questions about a candidate’s information, answers can be found online or through the political party.

There is also a state pamphlet that was mailed out from the state with state candidate and proposition information.

As of the deadline to register to vote, Yuma C ounty has over 87,000 active registered voters and approximately 59,000 early ballots have been mailed out.

“Yuma county has never mailed out that many early ballots,” Pouquette said.

Voters also have the chance to come into the Recorder’s office on 197 Main Street to quickly vote from 8-5 Monday through Friday.

Willie Green, election services director for the county, says “just working with the team and experienced staff that we have and the recorders, we are going to make sure we get it done with those 85,000 plus voters.”

On election night, votes are counted and processed as they are received and will be updated with various totals available to the public.

Election results will be released at 8 P.M. and as more votes are counted, results will be updated.

The Imperial County Registrar of Voters also offers two separate programs to simplify the process of early voting: Early Mobile Voting and Weekend Voting.

According to the Imperial county website, “Early Mobile Voting is a program that utilizes the Imperial County Mobile Office (RV) traveling throughout Imperial County on designated days making voting more convenient and accessible.”

Registered voters can cast their vote in the Mobile Office or drop off vote-by-mail ballots in person.

A list of Early Mobile Voting dates and locations may be found here.

The Imperial County website says, “On the Saturday and Sunday before an election, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., the Registrar of Voters opens the office for Weekend Voting.”

The County Administrative Center is located at 940 West Main Street in El Centro.