As a way to save money, certain cities and counties are considering to a vote-by-mail primary system. It’s a move that could eliminate the expenses associated with hiring, training, and staffing polling locations.

Even before the decisions are made institutionally, however, the population is already embracing vote-by-mail in record numbers.

This leaves polls less crowded; instead, shifting the burden to the staff that is tasked with counting and sorting the mailed in ballots.

In an article from the Press-Enterprise, Vote By Mail turn out, as well as turn out in general, is discussed for Tuesday’s election:

Fifty-five percent of voters today will cast mail ballots, a record rate for a California general election, according to a Field Poll estimate released today.

The nonpartisan poll projects that 9.5 million Californians — 55 percent of the state’s 17.3 million registered voters — will participate in today’s election, capping a campaign year that featured hard-fought and extremely expensive races for governor and U.S. Senate as well as contests for attorney general, other constitutional offices, ballot propositions and the Legislature.



The projected 55 percent turnout rate will be about typical for a gubernatorial election. It is much less than the 79.4 percent of voters who participated in the 2008 presidential election.

The popularity of voting by mail, meanwhile, continues to grow rapidly.


Read the full article here.