Arvin residents have already started voting in a special mail-in election to determine who will fill the city's vacant council seat. The all-mail ballot election scheduled for August 26 has three candidates vying for the position.
After extensive debate between council members and community residents, the city decided to hold a special election.
"Guys, open your eyes for crying out loud. Quit being wise in your own eyes, it's not about you, it's about everybody here," said Rene Garcia, a community member who spoke during council discussions.
The special election will be conducted entirely through mail-in ballots, with no in-person polling places available.
"There's really no difference other than there are no poll sites. Vote-by-mail ballots go out on the same date, and we receive them through Election Day," said Laura Cantu, Assistant Registrar of Voters for Kern County.
Henry R. Oliver, Tim Tarver, and Anabel Quintino Rubio are the three candidates running for the 5th council seat.
According to the Kern County Elections Office, mail-in ballots were sent to 6,400 registered voters on July 28, but fewer than 10 have been returned so far.
"We haven't received a lot of returns yet. They just went out July 28th, so it takes a while for some voters to drop them in the drop boxes," Cantu said.
The special election comes with a price tag of approximately $30,000 for the city of Arvin.
Election officials note that special elections typically see lower voter turnout and hope to receive more ballot submissions as the August 26 deadline approaches.
For votes to be counted, ballots must be postmarked by August 26.
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