|
Hey Focus fans!
If you’ve already voted in the current election, good. If not, here’s a possible strategy:
You don’t even have to do them in that order. Meaning don’t skip tonight’s event – featuring free tacos and wine in addition to invigorating dialogue – just because you’ve already voted. Everyone is invited and welcome.
Again:
🗳️🗳️🗳️
Don’t hold onto those ballots too long, however.
I’ve beat this drum before and will again – way too many voters are wasting their time if they wait to mail their ballots even a few days before voting day on Nov. 3.
A newish U.S. Postal routing procedure takes everything mailed anywhere in Stanislaus County (and neighboring places) to West Sacramento to get a date stamp before heading to any destination, including back to the local elections office. And elections officials must reject any ballot not postmarked by Nov. 3.
Boatloads of heads-ups from county registrars, media people like me and vested-interest organizations such as the League of Women Voters have not reached everyone who needs to know this. Despite enormous efforts to warn and inform:
-
More than 13,200 ballots were trashed in the northern San Joaquin Valley in the past year, simply because they arrived too late. For this figure, we’re counting votes in November 2025 (Proposition 50) and the June primary this year cast in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties as well as our foothill neighbors – Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties.
Unless you believe democracy is somehow safer when we find ways to reduce the number of people voting, this outcome is totally unacceptable.
It’s also entirely avoidable.
Voters, please either:
🗳️🗳️🗳️
Lastly, I learned the above numbers through California Public Records Act requests submitted to the counties’ respective elections offices. It’s part of what journalists do so you don’t have to.
Feel free to share notes, tips and insights for Stanislaus-centric campaign coverage at garth@themodestofocus.org. |
