Amador County – Amador County Registrar of Voters Sheldon Johnson said Monday that he expected about half of the 12,106 absentee ballots sent out to county voters to be returned this week.

The election office was gearing for next Tuesday’s election, with county staff delivering ballots, and patrons hand-delivering their ballots at the Court Street office.

Amador County Election Supervisor Debbie Smith provided a list of cumulative ballots issued by voting precinct, showing 11,235 permanent absentee voter ballots have been sent out to voters for the November 2nd election. As of 11 a.m. Monday (October 25th), the office had received 3,464 of the ballots. A total of 12,106 ballots had gone out early through various means.

Johnson said he expected 50 percent of the absentee ballots to be returned to the office this week. Those received before election day will be tallied when polls close at 8 p.m., offering a first look at five local races, featuring 17 candidates vying for 8 positions. 

In Amador Water Agency races, District 1 had 37 percent of its absentee ballots returned by Monday. District 4 had 27 percent of its absentee ballots returned, and District 5 had 26 percent.

From Ione, where six candidates are running for three seats on the city council, 34 percent of the absentee voters by Monday had returned their ballots to the election office. From Sutter Creek, where four candidates vie for two positions on the city council, 27 percent of the absentee ballots had been returned.

Ione has 2,126 eligible voters for Tuesday’s election, and Sutter Creek has 1,740. Registrants by District in the AWA race include 4,051 voters in District 1; 4,333 voters in District 4; and 4,452 voters in District 5.

Johnson said as with the primary, the general election day tallies will be run in counting machines at the election office, with the proceedings open to the public. Smith said the precinct votes should be tabulated as they arrive from their respective voting locations.

There are 21,354 registered voters in Amador County, with 57 percent receiving absentee or early-vote ballots. The registration as of October 22nd showed 7,077 Democrats and 9,750 Republicans registered in the county. Another 3,431 registrants “decline to state” their parties, and 1,096 claim other parties.

Overall voter registration went up by 409 people since the June 8th primary, when 20,935 people were registered. By comparison, after the June 2008 primary, 1,109 more people registered to vote that November.

Story by Jim Reece. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..