Low Voter Turnout Impacts Beverly Hills Election

Voter turnout has been an issue throughout the country, but especially in Los Angeles County, as evidenced by the low turnout for the Beverly Hills school board elections. The polls were virtually empty by midday. Brian Goldberg, president of the board, said he feared this would happen.

"I think that the majority of this election will have been concluded with the absentee ballot and that the actual turnout at the polls will be even lower than in previous elections," Goldberg said Tuesday morning.

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In Beverly Hills there are five candidates vying for three seats. Voters can pick their top three choices. Goldberg, however, thinks that the single-shot method may be employed because of low turnout. That means voters only pick their top choice and leave off the other two choices.

There's a history of candidates in Beverly Hills running the single-shot method, according to Goldberg.

"Not only does it increase the voter total for those candidates, but it takes away votes from other candidates who are seeking election as well," said Goldberg, who thinks that this trend of less voters at the polls and more people voting absentee, will continue.