201,675 County Residents Register to Vote

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By Giana Magnoli, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @magnoli

After Monday’s deadline for the Nov. 6 general election, Santa Barbara County has recorded 201,675 registered voters, fewer than the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections.

Voters have until Oct. 30 to request a vote-by-mail ballot, and the County Elections Office already mailed out 118,982 as of Tuesday evening, with more every day.

In 2004, the county had a 80.47 percent voter turnout, and in 2008 a 86.36 percent turnout.

This year, the party preference breakdown among voters is 83,582 Democrat, 62,287 Republican, 45,276 no party preference, 5,099 independent; 1,550 Green Party, 1,317 Libertarian, 2,121 miscellaneous and 442 in the Peace and Freedom Party.

It’s the first election after redistricting changed the boundaries for California’s legislative and congressional districts, and Santa Barbara County’s five supervisor districts.

Money keeps rolling into candidate coffers in the last few days before the election. The last pre-election reporting deadline is Thursday, after which candidates and committees have to report individual contributions as they are received.

On Nov. 6, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and all absentee ballots have to be received — not just postmarked — by 8 p.m. as well. They can be dropped off at the County Elections Office in advance or at any poll station on Election Day.

— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.

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