Advertisement

Few problems reported at L.A. polling places

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Voting across Los Angeles County was relatively smooth Tuesday as good weather and few problems were reported at the polls, the county registrar’s office said.

By 2 p.m., 24% of registered voters had cast their ballots, not including absentee ballots. The turnout was about equal to the numbers at the same time of the day in 2006, and more than 3% higher than in 2002.

Advertisement

‘We’re pretty happy today so far,’ said Eileen Shea, a spokeswoman for the registrar’s office. More than 17,000 inspectors were fanned out across the county ‘like a military deployment,’ she said.

William Blanco, 63, of Norwalk, said he came out to vote specifically for Jerry Brown, the Democratic candidate for governor. ‘Pick your poison, but hey, at least he’s not against Latinos,’ he said.

Blanco, who is retired, said his family came from Mexico in 1926 legally, and that California is a state made up of immigrants. ‘I don’t like the way our roots are being frowned upon,’ he said of Republican Meg Whitman’s campaign.

Cynthia Cervantes said she came out to the polls after hearing President Obama stump for Sen. Barbara Boxer and Jerry Brown on the radio. ‘My vote is a change,’ said the 21-year-old student at Cypress College who hopes to transfer to UCLA.

She said she’s not upset with Obama’s job performance. By voting for Boxer and Brown, Cervantes said, Obama can make more changes. ‘I feel like he’s done a good job,’ she said.

The healthcare reform legislation alone is a reason she’s satisfied with Obama, she said, noting that before the measure was passed, she wasn’t insured for two years. ‘It’s a pain when I get sick,’ she said.

Advertisement

-- Nicole Santa Cruz in Norwalk and Raja Abdulrahim in Los Angeles

Advertisement