Amador County – The results on the November 2nd Election were officially certified by the Amador County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday after a presentation and update from the Elections Department.

Sheldon Johnson, Amador County Registrar of Voters, said this election, as compared to previous, “went really smoothly when all things were considered.” He said general elections usually generate a much larger voter turnout than special or primary elections.

County Surveyor George Allen said Amador County ranked third amongst counties in California for voter turnout in this election behind Sierra and Nevada counties. He said our county “usually ranks amongst the highest.”

Johnson said perhaps the most interesting trend is in the growing number of absentee voters. Out of 21,354 total votes in Amador County, 9,701 were absentee voters. He said that equals “about 80 percent” of the 12,154 absentee ballots sent out. 57 percent of the total local voters were absentee voters.

Allen referenced a “History of Elections” sheet he distributed to the supervisors and county staff. He said the total number of voters in Amador County has increased from 17,265 in 1992 to 21,354 in 2010. This indicates an increase in both population and voter turnout.

Johnson also reported that the state will be reimbursing the county for the cost of the special election held in May, to the tune of $74,000. The announcement was met with applause. In addition, he said that his department is always “implementing cost and time saving measures.”

He said there is no indication yet as to whether the state will reimburse the county for the cost of the upcoming special election in January, where voters will decide the next State Senator for District 1. Johnson said seven precincts will be open in that election, and he expects about a 40 to 45 percent voter turnout.

Johnson also took the opportunity to “thank the members of the board and other county staff who were there on election night…and provided help.”

Johnson will appear on TSPN TV News on December 14th to discuss preparations for the upcoming special election in January.

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