Fresno County Elections Office adding drop boxes, encourage participation

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With the Primary election just weeks away, the Fresno County Elections Office is getting ready with new equipment.

More than 40 new drop boxes are loaded up and ready to be installed throughout the county, and election officials say new voting centers will replace assigned polling places.

"There's 53 located throughout the county and open for multiple days," says Brandi Orth with the Fresno County Elections Office. "They'll be open 3 days before the election, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Ten of those will be open 10 days before the election."

The Voter's Choice Act, which passed in 2016, aims to modernize elections throughout the state.

Orth says this means all voters will now get a ballot in the mail instead of having to request one.

They'll also be able to go into any of the county's voting centers and have their ballot pulled up to vote with a paper ballot or electronically.

"The Voter's Choice Act was designed to increase participation, to increase accessibility and have more people participate in democracy," Orth said.

Voters will also be able to fill out their ballots and drop them off using one of the new drop boxes.

The location of the voting centers and drop boxes will be online, and the rest of the boxes are expected to be installed and open by next Monday.