Fresno County draws criticism for one vote center in 93706 zip code

A single vote center for 93706 has put Fresno County on the defensive in southwest Fresno, where residents are being asked to rely on the West Fresno Regional Center on California Avenue at Cesar Chavez Boulevard for in-person voting. The county’s June 2 primary materials list that as the only scheduled vote center inside the ZIP code.

The mismatch stands out against the countywide footprint. Fresno County’s June 2 election fact sheet says there are 54 physical vote center locations and 68 drop boxes for 529,007 registered voters. The county’s own vote-center map shows several other Fresno ZIP codes with multiple sites, including 93722, 93710 and 93727, while 93706 has one. That matters because 93706 covers 158.5 square miles and 40,638 residents, while 93722 packs 86,110 residents into just 19.3 square miles.

California’s Voter’s Choice Act does let Fresno County voters cast ballots at any vote center in the county, but it also requires counties to build an Election Administration Plan through public hearings and outreach, including consultation with voters with disabilities and language-access advocates. State guidance says counties must open one or more early voting locations for at least ten days before Election Day, with voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines and language assistance. Fresno County’s elections page lists the June 2, 2026 Consolidated Statewide Primary Election as current, and the Secretary of State said vote centers opened in 30 counties on May 23 and would also be open statewide on Saturday, May 30.

County records also show Fresno County has operated with a broader in-person footprint before. For the November 2025 statewide special election, vote centers were open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. before Election Day and 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, with 59 countywide drop boxes. In 93706, where the Census Bureau lists median household income at $40,930, the burden of a single local site falls hardest on voters who face longer trips, tighter work schedules and more transportation barriers than residents in ZIP codes with more nearby options. The debate now is not whether one vote center is technically allowed, but whether that level of service is fair for southwest Fresno.