Santa Barbara County sent just under 250,000 vote-by-mail ballots to voters Monday, Oct. 5, as residents began making plans to cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 general election.
Martin Cobos, the county’s chief deputy registrar of voters, said the Elections Office had received a little more than 100 ballots from military and overseas voters as of Monday. Those ballots are separate from the nearly 250,000 sent to county voters that day.
The county has opened 18 secure ballot drop boxes, Cobos said. It plans to open 67 polling places on Election Day.
For Guadalupe resident Andrew Aguilar, voting is a way to make his voice heard. He plans to vote by mail and said he hopes to see more housing opportunities for younger people in the county.
“There’s a lot of things that I don’t like, a lot of things that I do like, and I would like my voice heard,” Aguilar said.
Santa Maria resident Guillermina de Labra said she is still deciding whether to mail her ballot or vote in person. She said she wants county and city leaders to improve life for everyone, especially young people, including by creating better opportunities for students.
“I’m very proud of [my grandchildren], because they were born here in Santa Maria, and from here, they went off to study in different places and better themselves,” de Labra said. (Translated from Spanish.)
De Labra said she has lived in Santa Maria since 1978 and has 25 grandchildren, many of whom are in college or have started careers.
Cecilia Rose plans to vote by mail, as she has in previous elections. She said she receives her ballot at home and drops it off at a nearby ballot box.
“I find it really convenient, so it’s a nice option to have,” Rose said. “I think it’s important to vote because it’s our right to vote and exercise our freedoms to do so.”
Voters can return ballots by mail, at an official ballot box or in person at a polling place. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
