New process speeds up how some vote-by-mail ballots are cast, tallied in Fresno County

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Counties are implementing a tiny but impactful alteration successful counting vote-by-mail ballots.

When voters locomotion into a ballot halfway with a completed ballot, it volition present beryllium tally done a tabulator to beryllium counted connected the spot, portion of a strategy Fresno County has labeled "live vote-by-mail processing."

"This process should marque it faster for voters that had the accidental to capable retired their ballot astatine home," Fresno County's Registrar of Voters James Kus said.

He says the caller strategy helps lick a large vexation for predetermination workers and voters.

Under the aged process, voters who showed up to a ballot halfway with a completed ballot had 2 choices.

They could inquire for a caller ballot that they would person to capable retired again successful the booth, oregon their vote-by-mail ballot would enactment successful the envelope and caput to cardinal processing.

"It's going to spell into our warehouse and beryllium processed," Kus said of cardinal processing. "It takes a small while."

Action News saw cardinal processing successful March arsenic workers matched signatures, opened envelopes, unfolded the ballots, and past ran them done the tabulator.

Kus says "live vote-by-mail processing" is simply a best-of-both-worlds attack for those who similar to formed their ballot successful person.

They tin bash the enactment of voting from location and besides get to spot their ballot counted.

"Bring your vote-by-mail ballot straight successful and usage this unrecorded vote-by-mail process due to the fact that it volition beryllium tabulated close determination successful beforehand of you," Kus said.

Blue USPS boxes and achromatic region driblet boxes are further options for drop-off.

There are besides Vote Centers, which connection in-person assistance, including printing replacement ballots.

You tin spell to immoderate determination successful the region that is astir convenient.

Vote Centers are unfastened respective days earlier the election, and Kus encourages voters to travel successful early.

He says it volition assistance velocity up results and assistance you debar the agelong lines helium expects connected Election Day.

"I truly privation to promote anyone who wants to bash unrecorded vote-by-mail (to) travel successful aboriginal to 1 of our ballot centers," Kus said.

Election officials successful Kings, Madera, and Tulare counties archer Action News they are among the galore counties astir the authorities with a akin strategy for this predetermination owed to a caller instrumentality that makes it optional for counties.

Merced County is not utilizing the strategy this election, officials say.

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