Record-breaking voter turnout recorded in Santa Clara County ahead of election day
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Voters in Santa Clara County are breaking records thanks to the staggering number of ballots returned by mail or at drop-off boxes. As of Monday morning, 617,000 ballots were received and counted.
"As soon as the doors open people are ready to come in here and vote," said Evelyn Mendez, Public and Legislative Affairs Manager for Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.
There was a steady trickle of people voting in person Monday at the Registrar of Voters in Santa Clara County. 14,000 people have cast ballots at the 100 Vote Centers countywide so far.
MAP: Every Bay Area voting location
A record-breaking number of ballots deposited at drop-off boxes or mailed have already been received and counted.
"This is a record-breaking year across the board for registration and for turnout," said Mendez.
In the 2016 Presidential Election, 724,500 ballots were cast in the county with 631,000 ballots already received this year even before election day.
In Santa Clara County the registrar started counting ballots 29 days prior to election day so the office is anticipating comprehensive results will be ready at 8 p.m. election night despite high voter turnout by mail.
RELATED: Want to vote in person? Here's where to go, what to know in the Bay Area
"People realize that their vote does matter and maybe we took it for granted before," said Francis Vo.
Vo dropped his ballot off at the registrar's office Monday morning.
Votes dropped off at ballot boxed are collected by pairs by office staff to ensure they are collected safely and none go missing.
Roshan Sriram made sure he didn't miss the election. He took advantage of the option to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day.
He was drawn in by the presidential race and Prop 22 involving Uber and Lyft drivers.
"It's hard not to do it with all of the hype around and the attention drawn towards it," said Sriram.
He's now encouraging others to do the same.
"1555 Berger Drive - come on down. It takes about 30 minutes tops," he said
Get the latest stories and videos about the 2020 election here.
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