Absentee voter rolls soar By MATT KAPKO Half Moon Bay Review October 20, 2004 San Mateo County voters are filing permanent absentee ballot requests at an ever-increasing rate. "We're getting about 1,000 a day," said David Tom, the county's elections manager. The total number of permanent absentee requests is approaching 30 percent of the county's registered voter total. With the voter registration deadline already passed, there is less than a week left to request a permanent absentee ballot. That deadline is Oct. 26. A state law, Assembly Bill 1520, became effective in January of 2002 and has proven to be the major catalyst for this increase in requests, Tom said. The law expanded permanent absentee ballot opportunities to all registered voters. Tom said this signals a new trend. Many voters are opting to become permanent absentee. "With over 100,000 requests for absentee ballots and a growing voter registration list, we are hopeful that these indicators translate to a high voter turnout," said Warren Slocum, chief elections officer with the county, in a press release announcing the climb in voter registration and absentee ballot requests. "That's dramatically going to change the voting patterns," he said. Before the law became effective, there were 4,000 permanent absentee voters in all of San Mateo County, Tom said. Now there are 108,000, he added. Absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Nov. 2 to be counted. Voters living overseas and members of the armed forces who are stationed overseas can also fax their absentee ballots directly to the county elections office. While some states require members of the armed forces to file absentee ballots earlier, California makes no distinction between any absentee voters. As long as the absentee ballot is received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, the county Elections Office says it will be counted. Voters can request an absentee ballot online at www.shapethefuture.org. Home