L.A. County to open 500 more voting centers for midterm election this November
Los Angeles County supervisors have unanimously approved an expansion of voting rights in the county that could open hundreds of additional voting centers over the next two years.
The vote comes after years of controversy and local and state efforts to get more people to the polls to voice their opposition to President Trump or support an issue like immigration.
“This is a good step to expanding the voices of the people of Los Angeles County and the right to vote,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who voted in favor of the proposal.
“It is only through the will of the people that we can have a democracy. Only through the will of the people do we decide who should occupy the White House.”
In addition to allowing more people to vote over the midterm elections, the plan would increase the number of Election Day polling places from 10,500 locations to 13,000.
The expansion would increase the number of polling places from three to 20, which would result in voting centers near existing polling places.
Ridley-Thomas also said the vote was in the best interests of both the elections and voting.
“We have made many changes to the voting process in our county. I can’t think of one recent election where there were more changes,” Ridley-Thomas said.
“My experience in my first election and when I ran for supervisor was it was an incredibly exciting and very productive day. It is not as exciting now and it is no longer productive after November, but this is a very critical step in making that day more enjoyable and productive.”
The proposal was brought forward by Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters Karen Garcia in July.
“We are the only county in the nation that has to request additional voting centers, whereas our state has done it,” Garcia said.
“Our election offices are spread out all over the county, and many of them are in areas that are