For those who still don’t vote by mail in California, going to the polls might become a bit more convenient soon. The state Senate Elections Committee has approved a bill that would increase access to elections by requiring county elections officials to open an early voting location on a Saturday prior to Election Day. “The fact that elections are held on a workday leaves many Californians in a situation where they have to choose between voting and fulfilling personal and professional obligations,” says Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, author of the bill.
“Allowing people to vote on Saturdays will allow a wider range of citizens to make themselves heard at the polls,” he says. The bill will require a county’s designated early voting location to open on a Saturday no sooner than 29 days prior to Election Day. This will allow voters of the county to vote on a weekend, increasing the amount of people who have time to go to the polls while shrinking lines on Election Day, Mr. Yee says.It also allows parents to bring their children into the voting booth, which will help teach the importance of voting from a young age.
Many counties and states have taken steps to allow voters to vote before Election Day. Both San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, among others, open their early voting sites to the voting public in the weeks leading up to a primary or general election. Thirty-two states currently provide options for early voting, and Nevada in particular has led the way by providing polling places throughout the state on Saturdays, located in both public buildings and private businesses.
Full Article: Central Valley Business Times.