MADERA COUNTY – Madera County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Rebecca Martinez announced today that 4,385 vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots were received in the Registrar’s office and polling places in Madera County on Election Day.
“There is an increasing trend in the number of VBM ballots turned in on Election Day,” explained Martinez. “Over the last several years the number of VBM voters who wait until Election Day to submit their ballots has been rising, with approximately 24% of the total VBM ballots received for this election arriving on Election Day.”
Unlike ballots cast at polling locations throughout the County, vote-by-mail ballots must be verified; a time consuming process where the voter’s signature on the ballot must be compared to their signature on the voter registration card. Election staff in the Registrar’s office begin verifying signatures early in October as voters return their ballots.
“I believe we will be able to count the valid vote-by-mail ballots by Friday at 1 p.m.,” declared Martinez. “Barring any unforeseen delays I will be able to announce updated Election Night totals before 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 7. This update will not be final in that it will not include 973 provisional ballots where voters’ eligibility could not be verified on Election Day. These ballots will be verified as part of the official canvass process and will be counted just prior to certification.”
Election law requires that County Registrars certify the election results within 28 days of Election Day which is December 2nd this year. Madera County typically certifies the results before the deadline and Martinez expects that this election will be no different.
