Election 2012: Still 140,000 Ballots To Count In Alameda County

Alameda County officials still have an estimated 140,000 ballots to count before they can certify Tuesday's election.

David Macdonald, the county registrar of voters, estimated there are 100,000 vote-by-mail ballots turned in at the polls on Tuesday. There's another 40,000 provisional ballots.

Right now, the official number of ballots cast in the county is almost 400,000. If all the late ballots were found to be allowable, that would increase the voter turnout to 540,000.

These ballots probably won't all be counted until sometime next week.

They could determine several close ballot items.

Among them is the 18th Assembly district race. In that contest, Alameda Vice Mayor over Peralta Community College District board member Abel Guillen.

There is also Measure B1, the countywide proposal that would raise the local sales tax to pay for transporation projects. Right now, short of the 66.7 percent it needs for approval.

It's unknown how many uncounted ballots are from this district, which encompasses San Leandro, Oakland and Alameda.

The late ballots may also affect the outcome of one of the two San Leandro City Council races. In that one, incumbent Ursula Reed holds a slim 97-vote lead.

Measure L, the city's $39-per-home school parcel tax, also hangs in the balance. just shy of the 66.7 percent needed for passage.

Again, it's unknown how many of the late ballots are from San Leandro.

Measure A1, the has 62.7 percent of the vote. It would need a large chunk of the late ballots to get over the 66.7 percent hurdle. 

Under state law, the county has until Dec. 4 to certify the election.