Fourth Ward voters to go postal

The City Council has yet to formally call an election for 4th Ward Councilman Neil Derry's successor, but the body did make a move Monday to make the election a mail-in affair.

The special election date is set for March 17, but voters are set to receive mail-in ballots by Feb. 16 and will be able to send their votes via Post Office in the intervening days. With elections, ballots have to be received by the election date. A ballot postmarked on March 17 will arrive at the Registrar of Voter's office too late to be counted.

On March 17, voters will also be able to turn in or receive ballots at the Registrar's building, the City Clerk's office, or a single polling place that will be open somewhere in the city's 4th Ward.

A mail-in election will cost the city about $33,300, according to Registrar's figures quoted by City Clerk Rachel Clark in a report to the council. A traditional election would cost about $145,800.

Monday would have been Derry's final meeting as a San Bernardino city councilman. However, he plans to attend a special meeting that's planned for Nov. 25.