City Heights is one of the San Diego County neighborhoods facing the biggest cuts in polling locations this election, according to an inewsource ZIP code analysis.

That’s why I decided to go to the Mid-City Gym in City Heights on Friday morning to capture the scene at this polling place where people can start voting in person at 8 a.m. on Saturday. What I found was a mix of veteran election workers and first-timers. 

Don Bartolotta, the precinct inspector, has worked at elections since 2000, when Republican George W. Bush beat Democrat Al Gore in what is considered one of the nation’s closest presidential elections. Gore won the popular vote but lost when Bush prevailed in Electoral College votes — 271-266.

Seeing how few votes that election came down to, Bartolotta said, is what inspired him to do his part to contribute to the election process.

Justin Marks said he decided to become a poll worker for the first time after watching pleas from Trevor Noah on “The Daily Show” encouraging younger people to sign up as poll workers.

No matter their years of experience, all of the workers at the Mid-City Gym expressed enthusiasm for doing their part to make sure every vote gets counted in this election. 

Polling locations are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Monday, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. You can look up the polling location nearest to you, by clicking here.

Poll workers set up for the start of in-person voting at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
Diago Fuller moves a table as poll workers set up for the start of in-person voting at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
A poll worker wipes down the greeting table with sanitizing wipes at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights in preparation for in-person voting, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
Diago Fuller, who has worked as a poll worker since 2008, sets up voting booths at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
Justin Marks, a first-time poll worker, measures out spaces for voters to wait in line outside of the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
Site manager Elizabeth Tate, center, speaks with poll workers before setting up for the start of in-person voting at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
Site manager Elizabeth Tate checks in with poll workers measuring out spaces for a line outside of the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)

(Left) Precinct inspector Don Bartolotta, right, sets up for in-person voting at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource). (Right) Alexis Hudgins counts unused ballots before the start of in-person voting at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)

Diago Fuller sets up plexiglass shields for poll workers’ desks at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)
Poll workers count unused ballots in preparation for in-person voting at the Mid-City Gym in City Heights, Oct. 30, 2020. (Zoë Meyers/inewsource)

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News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

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Zoë MeyersPhoto and Video Journalist

Zoë Meyers is a photo and video journalist at inewsource. Zoë loves working as a visual journalist because it gives her the privilege of witnessing moments in people's personal lives and in our community that can enhance our understanding of important stories. When she's not behind the camera,...