Final sprint to the polls, nationally, & here at home

FRESNO, California (KFSN) -- We all expect signs and flyers on Election Day, but this year... celebrity emails? Lighted brigades? It's a new level of creativity aimed at getting your attention.

After months of planning, and a week's worth of hard wiring, a group of Valley residents hit the streets. They started at the Highway 41 overpass at Gettysburg, armed with their signs and their candidate's name, poised high above the fast moving lanes of the highway. Problem is, the California Highway Patrol didn't quite like the idea.

Fresno resident and "Overpass Light Brigade" member tells Action News, "They gave us a dispersal order over the phone, to leave the overpass. So we came over here to Blackstone and Nees".

They got the idea from the Progressive Democrats of America, who had used the lighted signs in Wisconsin. Local chapter member Judy Hess says, "It's a very effective attention getter, really, because the signs are bright and they attract attention and are very visible".

Voters will notice a few other things this year. The Fresno County Elections office will now offer 9 different voted ballot drive-thru sites. County Clerk and Registrar of Voters Brandi Orth says, "A new thing we have put in place this year is a voted ballot drive through so we will have one downtown so you don't have to park and come inside you can drive through the pop up tent and we'll be able to take your voted ballot from you in your car".

Celebrities have also hopped on the campaign trail, signing their names to emails urging residents to support various propositions. Kiefer Sutherland and MC Hammer are both signing their names to form letters.

Here locally, volunteers at the both the Democratic and Republican Headquarters are working the phone banks, hoping Valley residents will pick up.

Chip Brown, a 23 year old Clovis resident who's dedicating his time to the Republican party says, "I'm real enthusiastic about this election and the outcome for my generation I'm not happy with the past four years and some of the things that have gone on so I wanted to make an effort to get out here and push the vote". And Nancy Griesser, a volunteer with the Democratic Party says, "Things are not the way they used to be and it's very important for me to do what I can to make it better".

Volunteers from both parties say they agree on one thing. They hope you'll hit the polls, no matter who you choose.

The polls open at 7am on Tuesday morning. Also new this year, Fresno State is hosting it's first polling place. Students will be able to cast their vote on campus and Fresno County Residents will be able to drop off absentee ballots or vote provisionally.

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