Exceprts:

Starting Saturday, people can vote in person at 48 locations in Ventura County.

Because of the pandemic, special rules allowed counties to have fewer places for voters to cast their ballots in person. But they also had to be open four days instead of just one.

"If they're planning to vote in person, please, please, please take advantage of the Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 dates," said Miranda Nobriga, spokeswoman for the county elections division. "Do not wait until Election Day."

In previous elections, voters were assigned to one of hundreds of polling places. This time, voters can show up at any of the 48 spots. That means, popular times or locations could be far busier than in the past, leading to longer lines and delays.

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When should I vote?

Lines are one of the biggest concerns. They can be a deterrent to voting and even undermine someone's confidence in the process, said Kim Alexander, founder and president of the nonprofit California Voter Foundation.

Voting should not be an endurance test, she said.

This election, Ventura County and others in California will shift to consolidated polling places for the first time. Some also are using new technology. But there are ways to up the chances of a smooth voting process.

"We're urging voters to vote early and if they do want to visit voting sites to go early in the day," Alexander said.

Also, they could speed up the process by bringing their vote-by-mail ballot with them to the polling place. (Full Story)