20 Percent Of Contra Costa Ballots Already Returned

EL CERRITO, CA — Contra Costa County is leading the Bay Area in terms of returned mail ballots with nearly 125,000 ballots received, which is almost 20 percent of the ballots sent out, according to Contra Costa County Registrar of Voters Scott Konopasek. And that count was made Wednesday afternoon.

Of the 125,000 ballots, just 148 came in unsigned, Konopasek said, and election officials are trying to reach those voters to give them a chance to sign their ballots.

The department tweeted earlier, "For the March primary, we did not cross the 100,000 mark (of returned mail-in ballots) until 4 days before Election Day." Election Day is two weeks from Tuesday.

There is a secure ballot drop box in El Cerrito

See: El Cerrito, Contra Costa Ballot Drop Box Locations, Nov. 2020

In comparision, other Bay Area counties report far fewer returned ballots:

• Alameda: no response
• Napa: 4,000 ballots
• San Francisco: 82,000 ballots
• San Mateo: 36,880
• Santa Clara: 38,000 ballots
• Solano County: 30,000 ballots

Ballots can be returned by postage-paid mail, at any polling place in the county, the county elections office, or official drop boxes. Remember to sign your ballot.

Ballots must be in by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.

Once sent or dropped off, ballots can be tracked online.

You may still register online to vote through Monday.

After Monday, you may register to vote at the county elections office, or a vote center, right up to election day.

— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story