Merced County’s last ballot was cast at UC Merced around 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Merced County Registrar of Voters Melvin Levey reported.
Voters were still in line at the Merced County Administration Building in central Merced Tuesday night after polls closed at 8 p.m. – with people lining up in their cars to drop off their ballots.
At UC Merced, roughly 50 voters were still waiting in line as of 10:46 p.m. Vote centers at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Christian Life Center and Los Banos Community Center also had a handful of voters waiting past 10 p.m. Atwater Community Center had a large turnout, with county officials estimating it was the busiest polling station in the county.
“Voting centers are moving smoothly. Voters are getting out to vote,” Levey said.
The county voting system is “incredibly secure,” he said, and additional staff and equipment were brought in to handle returns.
Levey said the majority of ballots cast this election came before Election Day – about 41,000 mail-in ballots came in before Tuesday morning.
About 56,000 ballots were cast during the last midterm election in 2022.
County officials expect ‘significantly more’ as polls closed and in-person ballot counts began. About 25% of voters submitted their ballots, as of 8:04 P.M according to the county office.
Levey estimates in-person voting will make up 10% of the overall vote this election.
“We had really strong return rates early on. When it’s all said and done after today, I think we’ll see a turnout factor that is much higher than 2022,” Levey said.
Traffic at many voting centers around Merced was slow during the day, with higher turnout at UC Merced, Levey said.
Retiree Connie Pacheco voted in-person at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in northern Merced, despite feeling under the weather.
“It was important to me to get out and make my voice count,” Pacheco said. “It’s our duty.”
Pacheco said she is feeling “hopeful and optimistic” for the election results. The most important issues for her are Social Security and taxes.
“Hopefully it makes a difference locally,” Pacheco said. “But I’m waiting for the big (presidential) one. I’m hoping something changes because our economy, everything is terrible.”
Tian Nguyen, 24, said he was “feeling good” heading into the voting booth Tuesday afternoon. This election is the third he’s voted in.It’s a good habit to have, he said.
“I’m ready to make a change,” Nguyen said.
Art Vera, 41, said his biggest priorities are voting rights and abortion.
“I want a better future for ourselves and our kids,” said Vera, who lives in Atwater. “We want the truth to be out there.”
Students are making their voices heard
At UC Merced, dozens of students made their way to the voting booths to cast their ballots for the first time.
The line came down two floors from the campus’ conference building. First-time voters were anxiously waiting for their turn to participate in the election.
Student Tahnvi Dhayalan, 18, said that she’s always been into politics and was eager to submit her ballot.
“My choices affect the country, the state,” Dhayalan said. “It’s nerve wracking.”
Emilia Reyes, 18, was nervous to cast her ballot.
“We’re here, inspired in a sense,” Reyes said “Not a lot of people get the privilege [to vote].”
Dhayalan and Reyes both agreed the goal coming out of the election is for people to have more respect for each other.
Business major Julia Lynn Vasquez said she decided to vote because she wanted to use her voice for family members who are undocumented.
“It’s a big responsibility,” Vasquez said. “I should be studying for my midterms tomorrow. I feel like if I don’t [vote], then who else will?”
Vasquez, 18, was disappointed in the results of the 2024 election. As a high schooler, she felt that she didn’t have a voice – but now that she can vote, she said she will make the effort to make it. Her biggest concerns are education and lowering the cost of living.
“Every vote matters,” she said. “If people don’t vote…that’s how we get stuck with our current administration. With this newer generation who can finally vote, we’re going to use our voices for good.”