Morgan Hill
– Tuesday was a long, slow day for South County election
workers.
Morgan Hill – Tuesday was a long, slow day for South County election workers.
For all the attention and hype surrounding Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s special election, only about 42 percent of the state’s 15.8 million registered voters cast ballots.
That’s greater than turnout for special elections in 1993 and 1979. Add in a substantial number of absentee voters and poll workers found themselves without much to do for 15 hours.
“It’s not dull, but it’s slow,” said County Supervisor Don Gage, who worked the polls at the Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church on Tuesday. “It’s a long day. It is gratifying to see the people who do come in.”
The special election was Gage’s first as a poll worker, but experienced volunteers reported a noticeable drop in voters from the November 2004 election, when in addition to the presidential race, a slew of state and federal races were on the ballot.
Morgan Hill had no local races, and volunteers said they noticed a sharp drop-off from the 2004 election.
“There are a lot fewer people,” Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church volunteer Andrea Salvemini said. “Last year, we had lines out the door.”
In the November 2004 election South County turnout was about 70 percent. In the March 2004 primary, about 43 percent.
Those who did vote, like Michael Artmore, a Gilroy resident who voted for the first time In California since moving here from Dallas, said they were inspired by the political clashes that spurred the election.
“I’ve heard a lot about Arnold Schwarzenegger and California is a very political state,” Artmore said. “People have very strong opinions. I’m just joining the bandwagon, trying to make my vote count also.”
Many voters cast their ballots even though they disagreed with the election, which will cost the state in the neighborhood of $52 million.
“I think people should not have to be legislators, we pay people to do that,” Morgan Hill resident Richard Reynolds said. “But I voted because it’s the right thing to do.”
Sandy Stoob, also of Morgan Hill, said she was “furious that they’re trying to legislate through propositions. In general, I don’t think it works.”
But voter Brett Faust said it was a nice change to vote for issues and not candidates.
“It was much easier to discern my position because there weren’t any people on the ballot,” Faust said.
Results
Prop 73, minor abortion notification
• Santa Clara County: : Yes: 37 percent, No: 63 percent
• State: Yes: 47 percent, No: 53 percent
Proposition 74: teacher tenure
• County: Yes: 38 percent, No: 62 percent
• State: Yes: 45 percent, No: 55 percent
Proposition 75, union dues
• County: Yes: 41 percent, No: 59 percent
• State: Yes: 47 percent, No: 54 percent
Proposition 76, school funding
• County: Yes: 32 percent, No: 68 percent
• State: Yes: 38 percent, No: 62 percent
Proposition 77, redistricting
• County: Yes: 37 percent, No: 63 percent
• State: Yes: 41 percent, No: 60 percent
Proposition 78, drug discounts
• County: Yes: 36 percent, No: 64 percent
• State: Yes: 42 percent, No: 59 percent
Proposition 79, drug rebates
• County: Yes: 40 percent, No: 60 percent
• State: Yes: 39 percent, No: 61 percent
Proposition 80, electric regulation
• County: Yes: 33 percent, No: 67 percent
• State: Yes: 34 percent, No: 66 percent
