Unique mobile voting center in Culver City looks to add fun to voting experience amid record-breaking early voting turnout
With hundreds of early voting centers open across Southern California, a polling place in Culver City is offering a unique voting experience ahead of Election Day on Tuesday.
CULVER CITY, Calif. (KABC) -- With hundreds of early voting centers open across Southern California, a polling place in Culver City is offering a unique experience ahead of Election Day on Tuesday.
App-based game developer Jam City in Culver City is bringing fun to the voting experience with games, food, drinks and plenty of parking -- all while maintaining physical distancing protocols.
"We just really want people to experience the fun of voting," said Kristina Cole with Jam City. "Given that we're located next to so many essential businesses, we wanted to really offer a space to our community."
The Jam City mobile voting center is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and is located at 3562 Eastham Dr., Culver City, CA 90232. Voters can cast their ballot or turn in their ballot the location.
RELATED: LA County launches mobile voting centers to reach people who might have difficulty getting to polls
Officials say California has seen record-shattering early voting, with over 9 million people already casting their ballot just days before Election Day.
In-person voting started for most California counties over the weekend as local election officials - many for the first time - opened polling places days early in hopes of avoiding crushing crowds on Tuesday.
This year, all voters got a ballot in the mail, part of the state's effort to encourage people to vote remotely to avoid spreading COVID-19, which has killed more than 17,500 Californians and infected more than 900,000. So far, more than 9.4 million people have returned their ballot, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all votes Californians cast during the 2016 presidential election.
That points to a potential record-high turnout as vote centers opened in advance of Election Day. The 14.6 million votes cast in 2016 was the most ever in a California election. The highest percentage of registered voters to cast ballots since 1910 was 88.38% in 1964.
Over 22 million people are registered to vote in California, nearly 88% of all eligible adults. That's the highest percentage heading into a general election in the past 80 years, according to the secretary of state's office.
RELATED: CA early voting shatters records, points to historic overall turnout ahead of Election Day
The state Legislature agreed to let counties offer fewer polling places this year, but only if they opened them earlier. But like most things in 2020, voting in person won't be the same.
More than 2.2 million people living in Los Angeles County have taken advantage of early voting, with hundreds of voting centers open throughout the county.
In Los Angeles, voters can cast ballots in places like Dodger Stadium, Staples Center, the Hollywood Bowl and the Hollywood Pantages Theater - iconic venues large enough for voters to maintain physical distancing. Gov. Gavin Newsom cast his ballot on Thursday at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
Keshia Hundley, who voted at a polling place in Crenshaw, said she was upholding a family tradition by voting in-person.
"For me, it's better. I've never done a mail-in ballot, I've always gone to the polls because that was something that me and my grandfather did - may he rest in peace - that was just something that we did together," she said. "My ancestors died for this right,"
Voters at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood said they welcomed the safety protocols.
"With everything going on, I see a lot of precautions being taken, so it's great that we have such a big space available for us," said voter Maria Zarate.
RELATED: Hundreds of vote centers open across SoCal ahead of Election Day
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
