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Politics & Government

Inside the Napa Elections Office

Amid the Election Day ruckus, votes were counted smoothly and Napans made their voices heard.

The scene at Napa County's elections department at 900 Coombs street may have seemed chaotic in the last hour of voting on Election Day, but the process went smoothly.

When I arrived, cars were zooming through the alleyway between the city building and the parking garage, drivers rolling down their windows and passing their completed ballots off to a waiting elections worker before continuing on their way.

In the top-floor elections department people were sitting on the floor, making sense of all the propositions and measures. Patient officials waited in the periphary to assist and make sure all of the ballots were filled out properly so as to be counted.

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"Make sure you sign the envelope!" said Leona Schutt, an election official who had placed herself right next to the ballot box as an improper vote firewall. As I watched, she caught half a dozen incorrectly marked ballots and helped fix them. 

After the polls closed at 8 p.m. parties kicked off at various eateries and watering holes in the downtown area while City Hall was abuzz with continuous elections coverage by Channel 28's anchor team of Kari Ruel, Melodie Hilton and Brenda Knight.

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The scene at Gordon Huether's downtown studio, site of Jill Techel's election party, was ebullient and gaining in steam around 8:30 p.m. Downtown Joe's, the site of Peter Mott's election party, began to become a more somber affair at the same time. Conversation turned to a well-run race and best wishes for the candidate.

Whether it was with a celebratory glass of sparkling wine, a theraputic pint of lager or simply a thirst-induced diet cola, Napans made their voices heard in an orderly and efficient way we can all be proud of.

Now back to our normal lives ... until the next election of course.

  • Techel Keeps Napa Mayor's Seat
  • Pedroza Takes Second Napa Council Seat in Unofficial Election Results
  • Luce-Van Gorder Race is Tight in Napa
  • Napa Voters Report Smooth Sailing at Polls
  • Sedgley Takes Lead in Napa Council Race

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