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County clerk expecting 80 percent voter turnout
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The first absentee ballots are rolling into the Ventura County Elections Division, where officials are predicting unusually high turnout by the time the polls close Nov. 4.
As of Thursday, there were about 406,000 registered voters in Ventura County, Deputy County Clerk Virginia Bloom said. That's 7,000 more than a month ago, and it means 78 percent of county residents who are eligible have registered so far.
Oct. 20 is the deadline to register for the Nov. 4 election.
County Clerk and Recorder Phil Schmit, who oversees the Elections Division, said he thinks at least 80 percent of registered voters will either send in absentee ballots or vote at the polls Nov. 4. Four years ago, 79 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the presidential election.
"This is going to be a historic election, no matter which way it goes," Schmit said. "There is so much interest in it. I can't see how it won't be higher (than 2004)."
By Thursday, the county had mailed out about 155,000 absentee ballots, Bloom said. Most went to people who live abroad, serve in the military, or have another reason for registering as a "permanent absentee voter." About 20,000 went to voters who have already requested absentee ballots for this election.
The county hasn't begun counting them yet, but completed ballots are already coming in, Bloom said.
They can be mailed or handed in at the polls, as long as they are in an election official's hands by the time the polls close Nov. 4.
To request an absentee ballot or find your polling place, consult your sample ballot or visit the Elections Division's Web site at http://recorder.countyofventura.org/elections.htm.
Posted by del on October 11, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for...but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong. If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice. Then vote the other way. This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires".
L.L.
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