Body of News Release
San Rafael, CA – The book is closed on the November 5 General Election in Marin County, and the County’s Elections Department has some interesting statistics and appreciations to distribute.
On December 10, the Marin County Board of Supervisors accepted the canvass of results, one week after Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts certified the election. With the completion of another successful election cycle, Roberts extended her gratitude to her 11 full-time staff members, 28 temporary office support staffers, and more than 150 workers at vote centers who clocked long hours, including weekends and on Veterans Day, to plan and administer the high-profile election.
“We spent many months preparing for this election to ensure that it ran smoothly,” Roberts said. “Security was in the news leading up to the election, and we were prepared. Thankfully, it turned out to be a low-key election in Marin County. I am so proud of our truly dedicated and professional team of experts and indebted to all the support we received.”
The County team of departments was also called upon and willingly gave support when asked – whether it was providing staffing and technical help, assisting with ballot drop box pick-ups, keeping the workplace open on weekends when required, ensuring security in the field, or finding more working space, departments were there when needed.
Voter turnout was just over 85%, which is 5% less than the 2020 general election. The highest turnout in a general election in Marin was in 2008, which saw almost 91% of voters participating.
Roberts also reported these facts from the recent election:
- 130,546 people (89%) voted by mail (VBM), down from 92% in 2020
- 16,313 people (11%) voted at vote centers, up from 8% in 2020
- 2,332 people (1.5%) cast provisional ballots, up from .04% in 2020
- 2,275 people registered to vote and voted within 14 days of the election; up from 1,098 in 2020
- The 25-34 age group had the highest number who were registered to vote and voted within 14 days of the election; it was the 18-24 group in 2020
- 129,457 vote-by-mail ballots were received by Election Day from post offices, drop boxes or polling places, down from 144,142 in 2020
- 63,239 vote-by-mail ballots were collected from drop boxes, down from 77,423 in 2020
- The most popular drop box was the Civic Center North Archway drive-thru box with 13,100 ballots collected, down from 18,354 collected there in 2020
- The precinct with highest number of votes cast was the northwest area of San Rafael (#10901) with 4,463 ballots; the Ignacio area of Novato (#50608) led with 4,823 ballots in 2020
The voter turnout percentages by age group based on the number of registered voters in that group were as follows:
- Age 18-24: 62.8% (87.3% by VBM ballot); down from 78.9% overall participation in 2020
- Age 25-34: 65.7% (84.3% VBM); down from 79.1% overall participation in 2020
- Age 35-44: 82.5% (84.5% VBM); down from 89.2% overall participation in 2020
- Age 45-54: 87.1% (86.4% VBM); down from 92.0% overall participation in 2020
- Age 55-64: 89.6% (88.5% VBM); down from 93.2% overall participation in 2020
- Age 65-74: 92.5% (91.5% VBM); down from 94.6% overall participation in 2020
- Age 75 and older: 91.0% (94.6% VBM); down from 92.3% overall participation in 2020
The Elections staff is now turning its attention to two small vote-by-mail-only elections called for March 4, 2025. One is for registered voters within the City of Larkspur Community Facilities District and the other for those in the Alta Vista Road Permanent Road Division in unincorporated Tam Valley. Roberts said staff members are also planning to take well-deserved time off in 2025 before heading into the 2026 election cycle. Preparations for that start in summer 2025.
“We have a little time to catch our breath,” she said.
Additional information about the fresh November election results can be found on the California Secretary of State’s website.