Santa Barbara voters who have been carefully following this year’s election can watch it through to the very end.
In the interest of transparency, the city will have the ballot-counting machines in City Council chambers Tuesday night and will televise Election Day results live on Channel 18.
Voters can get nearly instantaneous results and information through the city’s voter information site, city television or in person at the chambers. Click here for the city’s Election Web site.
Ballots will be organized by precinct throughout the day, so staff expects to have a count by as early as 8:15 p.m., said Marcelo Lopez, administrative services director. Provisional ballots will be counted later. If the vote is very close, they could change the results, he said. There were about 200 in the last election.
Usually, Santa Barbara County handles election results, so voters typically don’t get the chance to see the “backdoor operations,” he said.
Some candidates will be dropping by the chambers during the ballot-counting, and many are having private parties on election night.
Tuesday is the last day to drop off ballots, and the City Clerk’s Office must have them by 8 p.m. Voters who have not yet mailed in ballots, should drop off their ballots instead.
Up for grabs this election is Santa Barbara mayor and at least three City Council seats, as well as decisions on four measures.
Click here for Noozhawk’s complete election coverage.
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.