One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
The Way Los Angeles Votes Is Radically Changing. Is Anyone Paying Attention?
Voters try out new ballot marking devices at the L.A. County mock election at Salazar Park in East L.A. on September 28, 2019. (Al Kamalizad for LAist)
Los Angeles voters will be asked to navigate a completely different way to cast ballots for the fast-approaching California primary.
Where and how the county votes is changing.
Is anyone paying attention? That won't be clear until in-person voting starts Feb. 22.
[Get all the info you need for the 2020 primary from KPCC + LAist's Voter Game Plan]
When they've tried out the new equipment during mock demonstrations, many voters say they like the L.A. County-designed ballot marking devices, electronic poll books and multi-day vote centers -- instead of neighborhood polling places -- rolling out for the primary election.
But some worry sunny L.A. could be headed for a perfect storm of election confusion.
Candidates like Mike Garcia, who's running for Congress as a Republican in North L.A. County, are concerned voters will show up on election day to an empty community center or school gym where they usually vote and won't know where to go.
Sponsored message
"That's what's keeping me up at night," Garcia said. "It's a six-lane memorial highway dedicated to confusion."
The county has invested in an advertising blitz to let voters know where and how to cast their ballots.
But it's a significant behavioral adjustment for millions of Angelenos -- who've historically voted more in-person than by mail. That could change in 2020. The county is expecting over 60 percent of voters to mail-in ballots this year, a big jump.
READ THE FULL STORY:
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
