Tucked along the loop of Grandi Circle in north Stockton, Brent Randall Regnart opened the doors of his single-story home to visitors on Tuesday. But these were no ordinary guests.
Regnart’s house is one of three in Stockton designated as an official polling place, among 158 voting spaces in San Joaquin County.
As the morning drizzle turned into a downpour, a handful of voters made their way inside Regnart’s garage, where privacy booths had been set up.
It’s a setup that Regnart has done at his home for decades — a practice he says is “pretty common” for San Joaquin County. In fact, according to documents from the Registrar of Voters Office, there are nine residences throughout the county used as polling places.
It’s convenient, he said. Plus, his coffee pot is close by.
“I just like being home,” said Regnart, 67. “It’s just the comfort of being home.”
Since moving to the neighborhood in 2000, Regnart said his neighbors have come to know his home as “the polling place.” Many have cast their ballots there over the years, he said.
At most other polling places he’s worked, Regnart said setup typically starts an hour before the polls open.
▶ RELATED: ‘Get excited about this!’: Stockton voters urge power at the polls
But to ready his home for voting, county staff first have to measure his property to make sure it meets certain requirements, including Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for wheelchair access. Then, about two weeks before Election Day, staff from the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters deliver voting equipment.
Final setup started at his home Monday night, so when Regnart woke Tuesday morning, he there was a “minimal amount to do,” making the process much easier.
Turnout has varied over the years, with the busiest elections usually falling during presidential or gubernatorial races, Regnart said. One of his biggest crowds came during the 2003 recall election, in which Arnold Schwarzenegger successfully ran to replace then-Gov. Gray Davis. During that election, a line formed outside his house as voters waited to cast their ballot.
“We were slammed the entire day,” he said. “(I’ve) never forgotten it. There were 10 or 12 people in the driveway when we opened.”
But that was also before mail-in voting became the norm. With about 5,000 registered Stockton voters on his home’s roster this year, Regnart’s polling place was steadily busy Tuesday morning. Most voters were quick, mainly dropping off ballots they had already completed.
▶ RELATED: San Joaquin County’s voting chief ‘optimistic’ about turnout in Tuesday’s election
Of the handful of poll workers at his house, most are people Regnart has known for years. But two young volunteers recently joined the team. Aydin Khan and Taiym Ali are seniors at Middle College High School, located on the San Joaquin Delta College campus. The 17-year-olds first volunteered at Regnart’s polling place during the June primary.
Aydin, who lives about five minutes away, said having a polling location so close to him made it easier to be part of the voting process in Stockton, a city he expects to leave when he attends college.
“Having local locations like these, it helps the community get more into voting and getting ready to vote,” Aydin said. “It really helps the community a lot (for) them being able to speak out and have their voice heard.”