Santa Clarita polls opened up early Tuesday morning, where residents were welcomed to cast their votes for the 2018 midterm election.

Before the polls opened at 7 a.m., people were seen standing outside of their polling centers waiting to vote.

“I was one of the first ones here. We’re business owners and we open at 9 a.m., so we have to be here before that,” said Ivan Moran, who was casting his vote at the SCV Senior Center.

Lines at the polls are expected to be busy throughout the day, even though 33 million people have voted early nationwide, according to CNN.

“It’s busy early morning and then after work and lunch. Those are the popular times. Right at 4:00 is when it really goes,” said Chris Jones, ballot location coordinator.  

Related: 2018 Santa Clarita Midterm Election: California Proposition Voter Guide

Voters interviewed by KHTS say they have done their research beforehand, and are aware of the contents on the ballot.

“I studied (the ballot measures and candidates). I’ve been following it for months now,” said Scott Wilson, who voted at the SCV Senior Center.

Throughout the day, Santa Clarita Transit will also be part of Election Day by offering free rides in an effort to help increase turnout by making it easier for citizens to get to the polls.

“With some important ballot measures at stake, Santa Clarita Transit, along with countless transit agencies across the nation, will do their part to make voting more accessible,” said officials.

In a recent study, it was found that transportation barriers were a deterring factor for more than half of non-voters in California’s 2016 elections, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In addition to free rides on city buses, the Santa Clarita “Dial-A-Ride” service, which drives residents with special needs or disabilities around town, will also be offering free transportation on Election Day.

“With every election, ensuring that the highest number of voters possible make it to the polls is a top priority,” said City of Santa Clarita officials in a statement.

Residents who wish to use Dial-A-Ride or Access Services to get to the polls must inform their customer service representative at the time of booking that the trip is intended for voting purposes, according to City officials.

For assistance in route planning or for more information about Santa Clarita Transit’s free service on Election Day, contact Santa Clarita Transit at (661) 294-1BUS (1287) or click here.

Once the polls close at 8 p.m., residents can check the KHTS FM-98.1 & AM-1220 Facebook page for photos from local candidates’ election night parties and continued coverage of election results throughout the night.

“I was one of the first ones here. We’re business owners and we open at 9 a.m. so we have to be here before that.” – Ivan Moran

“I’m always up early. I was one of the first ones here.” – Chris Barreca

David Goldberg (left) and Debra Goldberg (right)
“It took about 15 minutes and it looked like a third of the ballots were provisional so far.” – David Goldberg

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