With the November election less than two weeks away, voters are already casting their ballots and local election officials say turnout is expected to be higher this time around compared to the June primary.
Many voters statewide say they're choosing to turn in their ballots early.
"I just, I wanted to get it done, you know? It was hanging over my head and there's all those things to read, and study, and figure out so I thought I'm going to get it done and bring it to the post office," said Kim Amidon from Long Beach.
"I mailed in my ballot because it was more convenient for me to be at home and do it," said Linda Parsons of the Central Valley.
Those who chose to vote by mail say they did so because it was the most convenient option.
San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano says they have received approximately 25,000 ballots back so far from the 182,000 registered voters in the county. Twelve thousand of those have been tabulated so far.
Cano says the vote-by-mail return rate looks better than it did at this same point for the June primary.
According to the clerk-recorder’s office, just four days before the June 7 primary election they had only received 34,000 ballots, which was just 18% of the total number of registered voters.
The Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorders Office has not responded to KSBY's request for the latest numbers on ballots returned.
There are about 237,000 registered voters in Santa Barbara County.
