What You Need to Know Before the Polls Open Election Day in Saratoga

Of Saratoga's 20 precincts—voting territories within the city's boundaries—more will be mail-in ballot precincts than actual polling places tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 6 during the General Presidential Election.

The reason for the mail-ballot precincts is because there's either 250 or less voters in these areas so the formal set up of a polling place is not necessary, explained Elma Rosas, a spokeswoman for the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voter's Office.

Such voters have already received their vote-by-mail ballots and chances are high they probably have already mailed them or are in the process of droppping them off today and tomorrow at the designated locations suggested by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voter's Office and found in this article here.

That means whether voters signed up to vote by mail or not, they have become such voters for this referendum, Rosas explained.

Other Interesting facts to know before you head to the polls early tomorrow morning or as you drop off that mail-in ballot today until tomorrow evening by 8 p.m.

• In Saratoga there are a total of 19,990 registered voters
• Two of the most popular polling places in the city are located Argonaut Elementary School or Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
• Voter turnout is expected to be higher than during a primary because of the nature of the election, Rosas said.

The ROV office had issued 601,757 ballots to voters and 262,842, or 43.68 percent, had been returned as of Monday afternoon. "Overall the Presidential General Election always has a larger turnout than a primary," Rosas said.

The numbers are probably higher by now of returned ballots since the numbers on the website were updated Sunday.

• It's too close to Election Day to put your ballots in the mail and the best thing to do is to return the ballot at one of the drop-off locations indicated in this article.

• If voters are casting their ballots in the traditional sense and they're going to a polling place, Rosas recommended getting there early and taking the sample ballot pamphlet with them.
• Polls open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• If voters don't know where their polling place is located, they can download the polling place finder app on the ROV's website or they can find the polling place on the website as well.

Please check out our comprehensive coverage of the Presidential Election by clicking on our Saratoga Election Guide 2012.