Voter count low in recall election, polls remain open

Through the first 10 hours of open polls Tuesday, fewer than 40 people have voted in the special election asking residents if Los Banos school district trustee John Mueller should be recalled.

The two polling locations at City Hall, 520 J St., and the College Green Building, 1815 Scripps Drive, were empty for most of the day, poll workers said. Polls are open at the locations until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

“We were hoping for more turnout than this; we always hope for more voters,” said Alicia Ponder, a full-time Merced County employee who worked the booths at City Hall.

The vote count doesn’t include mail-in ballots received by the Merced County Elections Office.

According to Registrar of Voters Barbara Levey, the number of mail-in ballots received is not being released until 8 p.m., when the Elections Office will post those results. Results will be updated as election day votes are counted.

Levey said she hopes the vote count will be complete by 10 p.m. Tuesday.

“We should have a clear idea (of election results) by then,” Levey said.

However, the Elections Office will continue receiving votes that were cast by mail and postmarked by Tuesday.

The recall election is for residents of the Los Banos Unified School District’s seventh district. That includes most of the land south of Pacheco Boulevard and includes the area west of Santa Nella Road.

Voters can see if they are in District by entering their address at www.mercedelections.com/en-us/community/who-are-my-representatives. If Mueller shows up as a representative, residents can vote in the special election.

This story was originally published August 23, 2016 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Voter count low in recall election, polls remain open."