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Voting continued to be light most of the day in Pleasanton as precinct workers often sat idle for lack of voters.
More voters are expected in the early evening hours before polls close at 8 p.m. tonight.
The light turnout is not a surprise in a mid-term Congressional race
With no City Council or school board seats at stake in today’s statewide primary, the most excitement for local voters has been in the 16th State Assembly District race, which includes Pleasanton. Here, four candidates vying for the two top spots in the primary to succeed Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo).
They are Democrats Tim Sbranti (Dublin), Newell Arnerich (Danville) and Steve Glazer (Orinda), and theb lone Republican, attorney Catharine Baker.
Under California’s open primary format, the two candidates who emerge from this field of four, regardless of political party affiliation, will move on to the Nov. 4 general election.
Also of interest is the re-election bid by Congressman Eric Swalwell, a former Dublin councilman who is completing his first term in office. Fellow Democrat and State Sen. Ellen Corbett (D-San Leandro) is also seeking the seat, along with GOP party vice chairman Hugh Bussell.
Again, the top two will meet again in November.
Aside from the primary, candidates for the Zone 7 water board of directors and the office of Alameda County superintendent of Schools are vying for election today.
Four incumbents and three challengers are vying for four seats on the Zone 7 Water Agency Board of Directors. Zone 7 provides water resources and flood control to the Livermore-Amador Valley, and sells treated potable water to Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of San Ramon.
They are Alfred A. Exner, John James Greci Jr.,* AJ Machaevich, Jim McGrail, Matt Morrison, Sarah Palmer and Bill Stevens.
Seeking election as county school superintendent are Jeff Bowser, Naomi Eason, Helen Foster, Karen Monroe and Ursula Reed.
Political analyst Paul Mitchell of Political Data, Inc. predicted that turnout at the polls could be light since as many as half of all ballots cast in the primary have already been mailed in.
Those will be counted early and publicly announced shortly after polls close at 8 p.m. with ballots cast at the polls expected to be counted by 9 p.m.
Voting these days is completely different than in days go bye. It is easier to mail in a ballot than go to a polling place. That said, it costs 91 cents to mail in a ballot this time. I took my ballot to a polling place today and noticed other people were doing the same. But, I would agree voting turnout is probably low. It’s easier to complain about things than actually vote for change, assuming voting changes anything.