Polling Issues In California Minimal This Election

Californians cast their ballots on Election Day with shorter lines and less confusion than some experienced at the polls during the state’s June primary. California Voter Foundation president Kim Alexander says that’s partly because there’s open voting in the general election. 

“I think by comparison things went much more smoothly in California in our general election than it did in the primary. We didn’t hear those kinds of complaints," says Alexander. "Of course we didn’t have the challenge in the general election that we did in the primary where your voting choices were restricted based on your party registration. So, that made things less confusing for voters.” 

Alexander says California’s large share of early voting and vote-by-mail also eased pressure at polling places.

Capital Public Radio participated in Electionland, a national collaboration between news outlets that helped monitor voter access on Election Day. The project reported few widespread problems in California.