LA County launches mobile voting centers to reach people who might have difficulty getting to polls

Mobile voting sites are open daily, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can register to vote and cast your ballot in one stop.

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Thursday, October 29, 2020
LA County launches mobile voting centers to reach underserved communities
Mobile voting centers have been set up in some of L.A. County's underserved communities to make sure everyone can exercise their right to vote.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With less than a week until polls are closed, election officials in Los Angeles County are reaching out to eligible voters who often stay home on Election Day.

Already, nearly 2,000,000 mail-in ballots have been returned across the county and more than 100,000 residents have voted early in person.

"We're already at over 32% voter turnout in L.A. County," the county's chief elections official Dean Logan said.

But accessing a polling center isn't easy for everyone, which is why the county is opening mobile voting center in an effort to reach more people.

"These are folks who have been left out and so now they need to vote to address why have they been kept behind," said Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, a gang intervention rehabilitation and reentry program in Chinatown.

On Thursday, the organization made a push to reach out to seniors, individuals experiencing homelessness, voters who are graphically isolated and those with disabilities.

"Those voters have been very appreciative because they may not have a car or they may not be able to afford an Uber or a bus or us being able to come to their community," said voting facilitator Terrance Caldwell.

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Nearly 50,000 voters turned out to cast their ballot in person for the first weekend of early voting across Los Angeles County.

Over in South Gate, AltaMed is joining forces to bring voting to the people.

Outside of the medical facility, healthcare workers, and anyone wishing to exercise their civic duty, can cast a ballot at one of five voting booths.

"The mobile units give us the ability to go into areas of the community that otherwise might not be served or where there have been low propensity participation or communities that have faced barriers before in elections," Logan explained.

Each mobile voting site is open for one day only, but Altamed will continue to open more sites leading up to the election. On Thursday, they'll be set up in West Covina, Huntington Park and at the AltaMed University and Training Center.

On Thursday, AltaMed will open mobile voting sites at locations in West Covina, Huntington Park and at the AltaMed University and Training Center.

Mobile voting sites are open daily, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can register to vote and cast your ballot in one stop.

"Do your part, vote!" said voter Zaina Branham.