Sonoma County voters rush to register on last day

Next month’s election marks the first time since coming to the United States more than 30 years ago that Ysidro Contreras-Vasquez will be allowed to vote.

The 51-year-old Windsor cannery worker obtained citizenship after President Barack Obama was elected. Ever since, he’s been eager to cast his first ballot for another Democrat, Hillary Clinton, saying it’s important for “our rights and the future.”

But there was one hitch to fulfilling his civic duty: Contreras-Vasquez hadn’t yet registered to vote. On Monday, the last day possible, he walked into the Sonoma County elections office and filled out the one-page form.

His wife, Maria, kidded him about putting it off so long.

“He keeps working and working so he never did it,” she said as the couple stood in the crowded lobby with other procrastinators and those submitting absentee ballots.

Elections officials were processing hundreds of walk-in applications before the window to register closed at 5 p.m. Online registration remained open until midnight.

As of Friday, 266,313 voters had registered for the Nov. 8 election, said William F. Rousseau, Sonoma County’s clerk-recorder-assessor.

The number is up 7 or 8 percent since Jan. 1 thanks to the hotly contested presidential race and other important down-ballot items.

“It’s really gotten people engaged,” Rousseau said.

In this liberal stronghold, Democrats far outweigh Republicans, making up about 54 percent of all registered voters.

About 77 percent - among the highest rate in the state - registered to vote by mail. Many had already begun turning in ballots sent out about Oct. 13, Rousseau said.

As with all human endeavors, a portion chose to register on the last day.

“We’d rather have them come in at the last minute than not at all,” Rousseau said. “It’s a good sign.”

He expected voter turnout could top 85 percent.

On Monday, people anxious to participate in the political process trudged down to the county offices on Fiscal Drive in a steady afternoon rain.

Michael Haston, 31 of Windsor, said he registered before enlisting in the Army at 18. He recently checked his registration status on the county website and found he was no longer registered.

“I never voted,” said the unemployed veteran. “It just wasn’t important to me. Now I feel I at least need to try.”

Another voter, Shaun Beattie, said he moved to Sonoma from Marin County about a year ago. He thought he would be able to vote by mail based on his old address but found out he was wrong.

He rushed down to the registrar’s office to make sure he wouldn’t be turned away on Election Day.

“I feel a weight off my shoulders,” he said after submitting his form. “I would feel remiss if I didn’t vote in this one.”

Like Haston, Beattie, a vineyard manager, said he didn’t like either presidential candidate. But he said he would vote for Clinton to keep the country from sinking “deeper into the hole.”

“I’m going to vote for Clinton,” said Beattie. “Or should I say, I’m going to vote against Donald Trump.”

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.