Inland Empire polls open with steady turnout and few reported issues

Polls opened Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Riverside and San Bernardino counties as thousands of Inland Empire residents headed to voting locations to cast ballots in the midterm election. Election officials in both counties reported that operations were running smoothly by late morning, with no major issues identified at the polls.

In Fontana, Victoria Campos and her mother Cynthia arrived at Dolores Huerta International Academy to vote in person. Victoria, 21, said she and her mother felt a responsibility to vote for community members who might not be able to make it to the polls herself. The pair cited the economy, cost of living, and rising discrimination against Latinos as top concerns. They also expressed worry over aggressive immigration enforcement tactics, which they said leave many residents, including citizens, feeling unsafe.

“We need change,” Victoria Campos said. “Especially those of us who feel unsafe, those who don’t understand English, immigrants … and even us citizens. We just want to live with peace and safety.” Her mother agreed, noting in Spanish that voting is a way to fight for change and represent family members who cannot cast ballots.

Nearby, Dwayne Clark and his wife Deborah, both Christian voters from Fontana, also chose to vote in person. Dwayne Clark said it is important for Christians to stand up for those who follow God’s rules and to show love without partiality. The couple pointed to gas prices, food costs, housing, and racial discrimination as significant issues. Deborah Clark explained that she preferred voting in person to demonstrate confidence in the process. “I want people to come and see me vote,” she said. “We gotta vote … and for those who can’t come, it’s great that they can use the mail-in vote option, but they have to be counted correctly.”

At Calvary Chapel Fontana Community Church on Sierra Avenue, voters dropped off mail-in ballots while others voted inside the facility. Jacqueline Evaderra, 24, dropped off her mail-in ballot, a family tradition she said helps give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. She expressed hope that her party would win the House back, emphasizing that every vote counts.

Alyssa Montes, who recently turned 18, cast her first ballot at the Calvary Chapel location alongside her grandparents, Dorcas and Pablo Montes. The 18-year-old said she wanted to show that young people care about who leads the community. Pablo Montes, 67, said he prefers voting in person to show identification and avoid the possibility of his ballot being lost. He and his wife discussed concerns about immigration enforcement and the division it causes in the nation before voting. “If you don’t vote, don’t complain that you don’t have a voice,” Pablo Montes said. “Most of the whiners don’t vote.”

Valerie Nevarez, spokesperson for San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters, said all 232 voting locations in the county were operating normally. As of Monday, Nov. 2, the county had seen a turnout of 24.73%. Yaoska Machado, spokesperson for Riverside County Registrar of Voters, confirmed that no voting issues had been seen in the county, which operates 152 vote centers, 107 ballot drop-off sites, and five Super Vote Centers.

PoliticalData.com reported that more than 605,000 early voters in Riverside and San Bernardino counties had already cast ballots as of Monday, Nov. 2. The secretary of state’s office indicated that about 27.312% of all ballots in California had been cast as of Sunday, Nov. 1. This figure represents half a million more voters than in the 2022 election. Registration numbers have also grown, with 1.4 million registered voters in Riverside County and 1.25 million in San Bernardino County as of Oct. 19.

School bells rang at Dolores Huerta International Academy as students moved between classes, while voters dropped off ballots in the multipurpose room. Officials in both counties expect to release early turnout numbers later in the day.