KPIX 5 Smart Vote: Marin Residents Turning Out In Record Numbers In Early Voting
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- Early in-person voting has kicked off in Marin County for the first time in its election history and the turnout has been impressive.
Across the country, early voting whether in-person or through mail-in ballots is reaching historic numbers. Marin is no different.
As ballots from the early polling places and through the mail are delivered, they're then taken into the processing room of the elections department at the Marin County Civic Center for the first phase of verifying voter signatures.
Two days before the election, approximately 121,000 ballots have been processed in Marin County according to the Registrar of Voters.
"In the March primary our whole total voter turnout was around 116,000 so we've already received more votes by mail ballots than people voted in the March election," said Marin County Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts.
San Rafael resident Scott Patterson thinks someone tampered with his ballot and says he never received it.
"Since I've already voted now, anything that is tried to be put in my name it just gets voided so I feel comfortable with that," said Patterson.
Voters in the East Bay like Charles Calloway wanted that same assurance.
"Other things can go wrong with mail-in voting so I did this and I feel a lot better," said Calloway.
At least 92 million Americans have voted early according to the U.S Elections Project as of Sunday. In Marin county, a record high 69% of registered voters so far have submitted their ballots already.
"We have a new system and it counts much quicker so that's a real benefit especially in a high turnout election like this with so many ballots. We can get through that much faster," said Roberts.
The majority of ballots turned in have been by mail. Only 2300 have voted in-person over the weekend according to elections officials.
