KQED reported Monday that the National Weather Service expected the North Bay to get the heaviest Election Day rain, up to half an inch, with possible thunderstorms on the coast. Sonoma County chief deputy registrar Wendy Hudson told KQED the office did not expect rain to affect its polling places and that rain on past election days had not hurt turnout.
The Press Democrat reported that the rain did little to stop voters Tuesday morning.
Students at Sonoma State
At Sonoma State University's vote center in the Tuscany Village Casentino Room, which the Sonoma County registrar lists at 1801 E. Cotati Ave. in Rohnert Park, election inspector Sarah Finnigan told the Press Democrat that Tuesday was the busiest day since the site opened Saturday. “We've had a steady flow despite the weather,” she said.
Finnigan said a number of students were casting provisional ballots. Some had registered in other counties or states and wanted to vote in Sonoma County. A provisional ballot lets an eligible voter cast a ballot while officials confirm their registration. The registrar's list also shows two ballot drop boxes on the campus.
Santa Rosa, Petaluma and Napa
- At Elsie Allen High School in Santa Rosa, an election worker told the Press Democrat that an estimated 40 to 50 people had voted in person by about 10 a.m., including first-time student voters.
- At Petaluma's Lucchesi Park Community Center, an inspector said five to 10 voters were waiting when polls opened. Heavy use of the outdoor drop box led workers to set up another collection station.
- In downtown Napa, voters walked through downpours to the Napa County elections division at the Hall of Justice. Among them was Eric Jones, the Democrat challenging Rep. Mike Thompson in the 4th Congressional District, who voted with his family and said his campaign would spend the day in Napa and later Davis.
For more, see our Sonoma County voting guide and the Thompson-Jones race explained.
No results had been released when this story was published. Polls and drop boxes close at 8 p.m.