Athletics to Provide Some Financial Aid as Arena Will Serve as Voting Locale on Nov. 3
The Oakland Arena, which has been mostly vacant since the Golden State Warriors left and the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, will become a voting spot for Alameda County in the Nov. 3, 2020 general election. SI’s Inside the Athletics has learned.
Backed by financial help from the Oakland A’s which is expected to be announced Monday, the arena will join the trend across the country where sports and entertainment venues are being made available for an election that is expected to have large turnout.
The A’s, who play next door at the Coliseum, had been interested in have the Coliseum as a voting site, but the Arena, which is an indoor facility, seemed to work better for Alameda County’s needs.
The county’s Registrar of Voters today did a walk-through last Tuesday, and after that it was just a matter of making the financial numbers work. With the help of the A’s, the numbers work.
It’s part of a larger trend. Across the bay, the Golden State Warriors, the Arena’s former tenants, are working on converting their new home, Chase Center, into a voting locale.
In Southern California, Dodger Stadium, The Forum and the Staples Center all have signed off on having their facilities used as voting sites in the Los Angeles area.
With the NBA leading the charge, the homes of about 20 pro basketball teams will be utilized as voting venues available for the Nov. 3 election.
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Inside the Athletics on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.