Upcoming special election set to go

Although it’s certainly unusual, things are on track in Mariposa County for the upcoming Nov. 4 special election.

The ballot has just one issue and that is whether or not voters will approve new statewide maps for the elections next year.

It is certainly a controversial election, but as Mariposa County Clerk Courtney Morrow said, she is following her constitutional duties to make sure it all works smoothly.

“I treat it like any other election,” said Morrow.

And though it is like any other election in the sense people receive ballots, cast votes and they are counted on election day, very little else resembles a normal election.

For one, there are no candidates on the ballot. It’s simply a yes or no question. That question is whether voters are for or against Proposition 50, which would temporarily change the way the congressional districts in California are drawn.

It all came about when California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature rushed through the new maps in response to redistricting that is taking place in Texas.

The idea is the new districts will favor Democrats in already Democratic heavy California. Newsom argues it is to counter the moves by Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, who led the charge to change the districts in Texas in the hopes of having more Republicans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

That tactic came from President Donald Trump, who is trying to make sure control of Congress remains in Republican hands through the remainder of his term. Other states are also considering, or doing, district changes, almost all of them to favor Republicans.

The biggest difference between Texas and California is the fact the voters must approve the changes in California while the government in Texas can simply make the changes.

None of that, however, means much to the people who have had to pull together an election in under three months.

“I have a lot of sympathy for our staff members,” said Morrow.

She also pointed out that right now is the middle of tax season, another huge burden on the clerk’s office.

Some good news did come concerning the election, said Morrow, and that is the state has given sufficient funding to the county to conduct the election. She said state officials approved $75,000 for Mariposa County to hold the election.

An election generally runs in the neighborhood of $70,000 in the county, she said, and she plugged in just a little extra as a cushion.

“You never know,” said Morrow.

Whatever is not spent will be put toward the next election, which is the primary in June.

But Morrow pointed out that even though the funds have been allotted, it is still money being spent from the taxpayers of California.

As of last week, Morrow said about 2,600 ballots had been returned. That’s out of 12,000-plus that were mailed to all registered voters.

“Historically, special elections are low turnout,” said Morrow.

Though there is still time, it is likely that will be the case in this instance. It was reported last week that about 10 percent of ballots had been returned in California. Every registered voter in the state receives a ballot.

Voters have the option of either sending them back via the U.S. Postal Service (at no cost) or putting them in one of the many drop boxes around the county.

Morrow had high praise for the Mariposa County Public Works Department employees who are picking up the secured ballots on a regular basis.

Morrow called them “wonderful” and said the process has been “streamlined.”

People can vote in person from now through election day at the clerk’s office in Mariposa. The clerk’s office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

There will be a vote center open for four days, including election day, at the firehouse in Lushmeadows. Vote centers will be open election day in Greeley Hill and El Portal.

The hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.

All of this, said Morrow, puts a strain on the staff at the clerk’s office.

“That is my biggest concern,” she said.

Under normal circumstances, they would have roughly seven months to prepare for an election, but in this case, it is just 80 days.

“An election is no small feat,” said Morrow. “It’s the same process and the same amount of work.”

Morrow also said that because of the last-minute process of the special election, the filing dates for the upcoming June primary were delayed some and will now open Dec. 19. That is the signature in lieu process when candidates can file for office.

For Morrow, this is just another bump in the road as she has been working on these elections for many years. But now, as the elected clerk of the county, she has a lot more responsibilities — and sympathy.

Especially for her employees.

“They are killing it and they are awesome,” she said.