CHICO — Voting has been predictably slow for the special election runoff vote for 4th State Senate District.
Republican Jim Nielsen of Gerber and Democrat Mickey Harrington of Magalia were the top vote-getters on Nov. 6, but Nielsen didn"t get the 50 percent plus one votes necessary to avoid the runoff.
The pair are seeking to fill the seat left empty when Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, resigned at the end of the last legislative session to concentrate on his successful run for the seat in Congress, vacated when former Rep. Wally Herger, R-Chico, retired.
A large number of people now routinely vote by absentee ballot, which reduces traffic at community voting stations. Also, special elections tend to have lower number of voters. For this particular election, only one seat is being decided.
As of early afternoon, about 500 votes had been delivered or cast at the Chico Masonic Family Center on West East Avenue, where six precincts are located in the large meeting hall.
Poll workers were chatting quietly with one another. Some had brought newspapers, books and crossword puzzles.