BY SHALEECE HAAS // The vote-counting machines are running smoothly. The ballots are on hand. The workers are trained and ready to go.

“Tomorrow is the day we’ve been waiting for,” said Guy Ashley, spokesperson for the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.
County staff have been preparing for tomorrow’s election for months. Since August they have recruited and trained 4,000 poll workers and 500 other election staff who will oversee the transportation, sorting and counting of ballots on November 4.

On Monday morning two dozen workers processed mail-in ballots in a brightly lit basement room of the Alameda County Courthouse. With quiet efficiency they opened envelopes, inspected ballots for irregularities and fed them through high-speed counting machines.

As in other parts of the country, early voting in Alameda County reached a record high this year. As of Monday morning, the county registrar’s office had received 255,000 early ballots—a 25 percent increase over 2004.

While a record number of residents voted by mail, thousands more braved the lines outside the county courthouse to cast their ballots early.

“At 8:15 this morning, there were 100 people in line,” Ashley said. “Over the weekend, we had 10,000 people come here to vote.”

Election workers began counting ballots last Tuesday in accordance with state law. But the results won’t be available until polls close at 8 p.m. tomorrow. Ashley said it’s likely some close races won’t be called for days after the election, as it can take time to count all the mail-in ballots.

Despite the rise in early voting, most of the county’s 804,000 registered voters will go to the polls in person. Dave Macdonald, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters, projects the county will see a record turnout.

“The official number is 85 percent, but if you twist my arm I might say 90 percent,” he said.

In anticipation of the “blizzard” of voters Macdonald expects on Election Day, the county added 30 additional polling stations and increased the number of poll workers at each location from four to five. Macdonald said the workers also received additional training this year.

But no matter how well prepared employees are, they’re bound to encounter problems. That’s where the help desk comes in.

Early tomorrow morning two dozen workers will be at their stations ready to field calls from any of the 830 polling places across the county. According to Ashley, these temporary workers have been attending trainings with the resident “gurus of the help desk” nearly twice a week for the last two months.

“We’ve got it down pretty good,” Ashley said.

Election workers are prepared for the long hours ahead. To keep their energy up, Ashley said the county will pick up the tab for pizza and other meals throughout the day.

Despite what’s bound to be a chaotic day, Ashley said election workers are enthusiastic.

“It’s a pretty good job to have,” he said. “You look at all the people lined up outside and you realize what you’re doing is crucial and important to a lot of people. I’m jazzed about it.”

BY BETTY BASTIDAS // Alameda County’s Registrar of Voters Office has received a record number of absentee ballots. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what happens once ballots are cast.

We invite your comments. And remember to vote!