The voting site next to San Diego City College’s Harry West Gym saw an influx of voters for both in-person voting and mail-in ballots on Sept. 14.

Poll worker Yulyssah Marin, who is also a City College student, said the stream of voters had steadily increased over earlier voting days.

“Our first day we only had about seven,” Marin said, then 20 on Sunday, 24 on Monday, and at least 30 casting votes by noon on Election Day.

When voters came to drop off the ballots they received through the mail, they got a stamp to confirm it had been submitted. Then the ballot was placed into a yellow bag. 

Site Manager Dottie Sutherland, 53, said the voting process has been kept intact due to the efforts of everyone involved.

She expressed her gratitude, saying “… there are so many people in this community that have come together to make sure that we have the freedom to vote.” 

She went on to say that since the presidential election, there has been a heightened sense of security at the polling location that she manages.

Putting emphasis that there had been thorough security day and night with local law enforcement, the polling location was “definitely secure.”

“We want to preserve this right,” Sutherland said. “This is what makes us different from the rest of the world.”

Counting ballots is a secure process, she said, and everything is checked thoroughly for any issues.

As voters arrived on site, poll workers offered them masks if they didn’t have them.

Some declined to wear one, even though City College requires them on campus, and poll workers are required to wear face coverings.

Still, workers such as Marin said she would do it again.

“I loved it,” she said. “I met so many people, saw different age groups, very exciting.”