Fresno County voting officials say they are gearing up for a record number of voters this primary

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With such a close race between Clinton and Sanders, Fresno County is expecting to see a record number of voters.

On the eve of the state primaries Brandi Orth, the Fresno County Clerk, is still preparing. There is a warehouse full of mail ballots, 63,000, which is just 15-percent of the registered voters in the county, but she said it's a good start.

"That's just a beginning number, and we'll know better Wednesday morning what we have."

Orth said a big presidential race usually gets more people to the polls and this time around, the state is loaded with a record number of voters-- 18-million people.

"Back in 2008, when we had a big presidential race, turnout in Fresno County was approximately 50-percent. So we're certainly hoping to break that record," said Orth.

The county has plenty of polling centers, 291 to be exact. With 1,800 precinct officers to help people vote. There are also, 10 drive through locations to drop off mail ballots. All of those, have to be postmarked by election day, signed on the back and received by Friday.

"If you don't sign it, they can't count it," said Orth.

Counting the votes will take time and people. The ballots have to be collected and hauled to the warehouse and hundreds of extra hands will help.

"It takes a Herculean effort in order to make sure all the materials go out to all the polling places and then get picked up and processed here," said Orth.