HMB Coastside Election Results NOT FINAL YET- Early Counts Represent Only 40% of Votes!!

The final vote tally will be provided by the San Mateo County elections office, and may take several days to complete. As of today, that office’s election results website notes, “This information is a raw count estimate (not tallied) that is subject to change and updated daily.” The County’s next announcement of the ongoing vote count is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, November 8, 2018, at 4:30 pm.

It’s the City’s understanding that each vote by mail ballot must pass through a fifteen-stage process in which they are cleaned, scanned, the privacy tab on the envelope is removed, scanned a second time to capture signatures which are then verified by elections staff, scanned a third time to sort damaged ballots, scanned a final time to be sorted by precinct, removed from its envelope, and then reviewed through several different processes.

With this complex process, and the increasing number of mailed ballots received, it is likely to take some time to finalize vote counts. Further, the County reports receiving unprecedented numbers of provisional ballots and ballots cast under conditional voter registration – each of these must be processed by hand at the end of the canvassing process. As of this morning (November 7), the County estimates that only about 25% of Half Moon Bay’s votes have been counted. Under state law, the County’s Chief Elections Officer must certify the vote no later than 30 days after the election.

The final tally will be posted on the County’s website when 100% of the votes have been counted. Periodic updates are scheduled over the course of the next two weeks and any updated results will clearly state which ballot types are included in that count.

Located 28 miles south of San Francisco, the City of Half Moon Bay is a community of about 12,500 people, situated on the peninsula between forested hills and some of the most beautiful coastlines that California has to offer. Its historic downtown is home to numerous shops, art galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and other businesses, and its celebrated beaches and parks are wonders of nature, accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians. With its many activities and events, beautiful natural scenery, old-town charm, and abundance of retail and commercial services, Half Moon Bay is a regional destination. The City’s website is www.hmbcity.com.