Members of All Saints Church walked from their church to Pasadena City Hall to cast their voting ballots on October 17, 2020.
Juliana Serrano (event organizer) leads members of All Saints Church on a walk to Pasadena City Hall to cast their voting ballots on October 17, 2020.
A voter holds his ballot in hand on a walk to Pasadena City Hall, where All Saints Church members dropped off their ballots on October 17, 2020.
A voter leaves his ballot in the official ballot drop box outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Members from All Saints Church in Pasadena waiting in line to cast their votes outside City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Juliana Serrano (event organizer) gives hand sanitizer to Mr. Witte after he and other congregation members cast their votes outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Pastor Susanne Russell blesses the official ballot drop box outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Pastor Susanne Russell speaks about the importance of voting during her blessing of the official ballot drop box outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
All Saints Church members gather at a social distance as Pastor Susanne Russell blesses the official ballot drop box outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Juliana Serrano holds her ballot up before dropping it in the ballot box outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Juliana Serrano holds her hands in prayer after casting her vote outside Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Monique Thomas gets a "I Voted" sign from Walter Little after voting on October 17, 2020.
Mr. and Mrs. Jackson hold their "I Voted" sign after voting on October 17, 2020.
Mrs. Witte was one of the All Saints Church members who participated in a group walk to Pasadena City Hall to cast their ballots on October 17, 2020.
All Saints Church members gather at a social distance to vote outside of Pasadena City Hall on October 17, 2020.
Juliana Serrano (event organizer) leads members of All Saints Church on a walk to Pasadena City Hall to cast their voting ballots on October 17, 2020.
A group of about 40 people walked the short distance from All Saints Church to City Hall Saturday to cast their ballots in a voting drop box.
According to Juliana Serrano, a senior associate at All Saints Church, which is located across the street from City Hall, voting rally participants were in great spirits and excited to vote alongside friends.
Social distancing and COVID-19 protocols were followed, and all participants were required to wear a mask.
The Rev. Susan Russell blessed the ballot drop box and all the ballots inside of it. According to Serrano, Russell prayed for the nation to truly live up to the values of liberty and justice for all.
Vote-by-mail drop boxes have been installed at City Hall and at Brookside, Grant, Victory, and Washington parks.
“I was pleased with the turnout, given that so many members have told me and shared on social media that they already voted,” Serrano told Pasadena Now on Sunday.
Police are patrolling the boxes to ensure they have not been tampered with.
In this year’s local election contests, incumbent Mayor Terry Tornek faces challenger Councilmember Victor Gordo. Also up to voters are three seats on the Pasadena Board of Education, as well as a school board bond measure and a measure that would guarantee the city’s $18 million utility transfer can continue.
This is the first time since the City Council changed its election calendar to match national election dates.
L.A. County will conduct the vote count. In March, it took county officials nearly a month to report the final results.
“Several of those in attendance told me they waited to vote, just so they could march to City Hall with fellow members,” Serrano said. “Voting is a sacred act. Doing it with others makes it even more special and holy.”