El Dorado County's Early Voting Slump: Where Are the Ballots?

With primary day just hours away, El Dorado County is facing an uncomfortable reality: voters aren’t showing up early like they usually do. As of Monday evening, the county had logged just under 30% early voting returns—a meaningful dip from the typical 35% or higher that registrar Linda Webster said officials expect to see by this point in the cycle.

So what’s going on? Webster offered a straightforward explanation: some voters are procrastinating on their candidate picks, while others simply prefer the traditional polling place experience on Election Day. It’s a reminder that not everyone has jumped on the mail-in and early voting train, even after years of expanded access. The county isn’t panicking yet, but the message from election officials is clear—if you haven’t voted, Tuesday is your moment.

The stakes around turnout matter beyond just raw numbers. Participation shapes which candidates advance in a primary, influences which issues get attention from elected officials, and ultimately reflects how seriously a community takes its voice in democracy. Linda Webster put it plainly: voting“is just something that we are thankful for to be able to do in this country,”and she’s hoping more El Dorado County residents will exercise that right.

At a drop box in Placerville on Monday, voters who had already cast their ballots explained their reasoning. Bill Clark said plainly that“elections are extremely important. Always have been and will be for the rest of our lives. All of our freedoms are in play here.”Karen Gutierrez echoed the sentiment:“That’s what our country is based on. You have the right and you can’t complain if you don’t.”Gerold Merker added his hope that the candidates he supported would move the state in a good direction.

The good news: there’s still time. Polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday across California. El Dorado County will begin posting results to their website just after 8 p.m. when polls close. Whether those final returns climb closer to historical averages—or sink lower—will depend on how many people decide Tuesday is the day to finally cast their vote.