New additions improve ballot counting workflow at SLO Clerk-Recorder's Office

At the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder's Office, people are working to make sure all votes are properly counted.

Back in April, construction began on a new ballot-counting area totaling 1,165 feet that allows more space for counting ballots and storing them.

"It's all contained where observers can see the public at the counter and we have a lot more storage space to securely store our counted ballots and our ballots waiting to be processed," explained Deputy Director Clerk-Recorder Melanie Foster.

Another new addition that is improving the efficiency of the ballot counting process is a faster ballot counting machine that works in tandem with the office's older machine.

"This new machine can count ballots about two to three times faster than our original tabulators. We still have our old tabulators, but this just speeds up the process and can do the work of essentially three staff," Foster said.

Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. is the deadline to cast your ballot in the 2024 Presidential Election.