28 Takeaways From the County Registrar’s Office Media Briefing
Posted
Ellina Abovian (via Los Angeles Magazine)
With millions of Angelenos heading to the polls Tuesday, the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office said they are working to ensure ballots are securely processed and counted as Los Angeles prepares to elect its next mayor.
1.9 million votes had been cast and recorded, representing 32% of registered voters, with more on the way. From turnout numbers and ballot-counting timelines to federal election monitors and voting safeguards, here are 28 things to know about Election Day in Los Angeles County, according to County Clerk Dean Logan.
As of 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 1.9 million votes had been cast and recorded in Los Angeles County, representing 32% of registered voters.
So far, the county has received 1.5 million vote-by-mail ballots, and 387,000 voters have voted in person.
Overall turnout in the last general election, in 2022, was 28%.
A total of 646 vote centers will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Election Day.
Anyone in line by 8 p.m. Tuesday can still cast a ballot.
The LAVote.gov Poll Locator tool is available.
Voters can return their completed vote-by-mail ballots by 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Ballots sent by mail and postmarked by November 3rd will be counted if they are received within seven days.
“From day one, we have approached this election with a focus on security, readiness, and public confidence, and that is what we are continuing to do today. I am pleased to report that, so far, Election Day has been running smoothly across L.A. County. We have had no reportable incidents of significance, and our vote centers are operating as expected.”
Representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice are in the field observing the election.
“We welcome that. Our process is always open to observation, and we recognize that transparency in elections is critically important.”
Federal monitoring and observation have been part of the process for decades.
Hundreds of employees are working day and night shifts.
“Every stage of this process includes important safeguards, including secure transport of ballots, security screening, signature verification, ballot reconciliation, and established procedures to ensure that ballots are accounted for and accurately counted. Importantly, these operations are open for public observation.”
Ballot processing is live-streamed on LAVote.gov.
After voting centers close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, the Registrar’s Office will begin reporting results.
The first results are expected around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, beginning with vote-by-mail ballots processed before Election Day.
Election night results are preliminary and not final. The Registrar’s Office will continue counting eligible vote-by-mail ballots, reviewing provisional and conditional voter registration ballots, conducting post-election audits, and completing the official canvass before certifying the election.
Ninety to 95% of ballots are expected to be processed by the end of this week, along with ballots received within seven days of the election.
“To the voters of Los Angeles County: Thank you for taking the time to participate, for showing up in high numbers, for making your voices heard, and for being part of the democratic process. Thank you for not being deterred by outside noise or distractions.”
Visit Results.LAVote.gov to follow the election results after the polls close.
The DOJ deployed federal election monitors to Los Angeles County and San Diego County.
The state Legislature provided state funding to help counties speed up the vote-counting process, but the voting model has not changed.
“We were pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision yesterday. We think it reflects a couple of things. It recognizes that we are operating within the framework of state and federal law regarding voter eligibility and the conduct of elections. It also recognizes that Congress and the courts have repeatedly said that it is inappropriate to disrupt an election literally days before Election Day or on Election Day.”
Younger voters, ages 18 to 25, tend to vote closer to the time of polls closing.
“There is some unpredictability around what the federal government may do in this election cycle, whether that’s here in L.A. County, California, or throughout the nation. We have contingency plans in place. We are making sure that we are processing ballots as quickly as possible while maintaining accuracy, and we will maintain really good records of our chain of custody throughout that process. I guess the message to voters is that we’re doing everything in our power to follow the law, protect your vote, and preserve the election results in the event that there is any effort to disrupt them.”
If a vote-by-mail ballot is returned without a verifiable signature, the voter is contacted and asked to update or provide a signature. This can be done up until two days before the certification day.
The certification day in Los Angeles County is Friday, November 27.
