Some San Diegans Wait Hours to Register and Vote in Midterm Election

San Diegans faced an estimated three-hour wait Tuesday at the San Diego County Registrar’s Office in Kearny Mesa.

“Most of us haven’t registered yet so that’s kind of why this line is so long. Because we’re really last-minute voting,” said one woman standing in the long line.

Other polling places in San Diego County are not experiencing this type of delay.

The registrar is the only place in the county offering conditional voting – where an individual can register to vote and then vote on the same day.

This is the second statewide election where conditional voter registration (CVR) is being offered. In June, the first time San Diego offered the process, 43 voters registered and voted on the same day.

“Our voice should be heard,” another woman said. “And I feel my voice matters.”

County officials said this has been the longest line ever at that location off of Ruffin Road.

Update: the line at the County Registrar of Voters is now a three hour wait. As long as voters are in line by 8 tonight they can still cast their vote, but they could be waiting until 11 pm. https://t.co/mCJkxelf7t pic.twitter.com/frvVxT23Ya

— Danielle Radin (@danielleradin) November 7, 2018

Registrar of Voters Michael Vu said the county expects a 64 to 68 percent voter turnout. With 1.77 million voters registered in the county, 64 percent would be 1.13 million votes. 

As of 5 p.m., the registrar's office said it had received 482,492 mail-in ballots returned including early voting. 

Polls close at 8 p.m. in San Diego County. Anyone standing in the line as of 8 p.m. will be able to vote even if it takes several hours to process all of those people in line, registrar officials said.