Early indications on Election Day are showing that turnouts at polling places throughout the Bay Area are significantly less than the 2008 election.
In Alameda County, voting opened last weekend, but the turnout wasn't great, Registrar of Voters Dave Macdonald said.
"We opened voting on Saturday. The most I saw in line was 20 people," Macdonald said. "In 2008 ... a line of people wrapped around the building.
There were maybe a thousand people." Macdonald said that, for this election, there just doesn't seem to be the same enthusiasm. In San Mateo County, Registrar of Voters Mark Church is seeing the same thing.
Lines are a lot shorter than they were in 2008, Church said. "We're off to a slow start," he said. Church said this year there are a lot fewer registered voters in the county than there were in 2008, which may be why there are shorter lines. "We're electing the leader of the free world for the next four years," Church said.
"Everyone is encouraged to come and cast their ballot." Both Macdonald and Church are speculating that voter turnout in their respective counties will spike at least 5 percent.
In 2008, Macdonald said 78 percent of voters in Alameda County cast their ballots. This year, he speculates about 70 percent of residents will vote. Church said 79 percent of San Mateo County voters cast their ballots.
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This year, he expects 73 percent will vote. Macdonald said he believes the drop-off will be statewide.
"There are a lot of very important things on the ballot," he said. "For whatever reason, the voters aren't coming to vote."
