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Politics & Government

Voter Turnout "Slow and Steady" Tuesday Morning

Thousands of voters have already cast their ballots, both mail-in and in-person.

By 10 a.m. Tuesday morning the Santa Cruz County Courthouse was seeing a steady flow of voters, and a stream of cars dropping off their mail-in ballots.

"It's slow and steady," said County Clerk Gail Pellerin. "We've had a lot of people dropping off vote by mail ballots." 

Of 64,252 mail-in ballots issued, 24,476 have been returned so far, reported Pellerin.

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"People are voting. People should vote. It's their right and it's their duty and it's easy," said Pellerin.

Among the ballot propositions that voters felt strongly about were Prop 29, which would raise the cost of cigarettes by one dollar to fund cancer research.

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I feel absolutely strongly against it," said Ana Vee of Scotts Valley. "I think it's a poorly-written bill. Although it's a good idea it just didn't have the right wording. And the fact that the money could be spent anywhere else."

Steve Pleich, who ran for City Council of Santa Cruz, voted this morning and felt especially strongly about Measure I and Measure J "because we need to fund our schools," he said.

"It's voted county-wide but those funds are going to go to our elementary and high schools and I think it's very important," said Pleich. "Actually our current funding expires I think in 2014 so I think this just extends it. I'm very much in favor of public school education."

Other voters were less forthcoming as they darted in and out of the county building to vote on their break from work.

"I just voted for the same people I always do," said one woman from Live Oak who wished to remain anonymous.

Stay tuned to Patch as results trickle in starting Tuesday evening.

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