Tuesday's special election candidates trying to get all voters in 31st District to vote

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Candidates are knocking on doors, calling undecided voters, and encouraging everyone who lives in the 31st Assembly District to get out and vote for Tuesday's special primary election for state assembly.

There are 170,000 registered voters the 31st Assembly District. Candidates for the seat, like Dr. Joaquin Arambula, are using their time wisely, urging those voters to mail in their ballots or vote at the polls. Arambula says it's the only way the Valley can have a voice at the state capital, to fill the vacancy left by Henry T. Perea.

"Currently, we have no one in Sacramento who's representing Southern Fresno County so by voting tomorrow, you're able to send a champion up there, who can start to vote on budgets, who can start to vote on important issues to bring resources back to our Valley," Arambula said.

Candidates spent the weekend talking to voters over the phone or at their homes.

And with only hours left before the polls open, they continued campaigning through Monday.

If any of the three candidates receives 50 percent plus one of the votes, they'll serve in Sacramento through December. The primary election for the seat's two-year term is in June.

"I think people around here are voting for change, I think people around here want change, and they're not going to want to just put me in for eight months, they're going to want to give me a chance to try and get things done up in Sacramento," said Republican Candidate Clint Olivier.

"Assuming that I don't get 50 percent of the vote, we have two months after Tuesday to campaign for the runoff on June 7th, this is a really exciting election for the 31st Assembly District and the people are energized," said Democratic Candidate Ted Miller.

Of the 170,000 registered voters in the district, 85,000 are mail-in voters. But so far, the county has only received roughly 19,000 ballots for the 31st special primary election.

"Well special elections typically have lower turnout, it really just depends on how the campaigns get everyone engaged, we hope that we hit a 25% turnout by the end of all of this tomorrow, so we'll have to wait and see," said Fresno County Clerk Brandi Orth.

Orth will also have to wait and see if county supervisors will OK the $500,000 cost of the special primary election. And she says it could cost Fresno County up to another $100,000 if nobody wins on Tuesday, which would force a June runoff.