Monterey County reports record voter registration numbers.

Before you snap a civically-inspired selfie with your ballot in your hand, take note: On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled denied a request to allow so-called "ballot selfies" for the Nov. 8 election. 

That rule will change come Jan. 1, 2017 when a new law takes effect permitting ballot selfies, but for this presidential election the practice remains illegal. 

(Yes, you are allowed to use your smartphone in the polling booth, just not for a selfie. And yes you are allowed to take a selfie with your "I Voted" sticker, but not the ballot.)

Presumably the record number of registered voters in Monterey County—185,000—are in it for more than selfies. 

"This is the most voters we have ever had registered," says Registrar of Voters Claudio Valenzuela. 

About 35,000 of them have already returned vote-by-mail ballots, which is typical for presidential election years for an open seat. 

Some voters have reported receiving duplicate vote-by-mail ballots; Valenzuela says not to worry, because the Elections Department processes only one ballot per voter, based on checking the ballots received against the voter file. "The ultimate check is that we only accept one," he says. 

Anticipating long lines on Election Day, Valenzuela encourages early voting; the Monterey County Elections Office (located at 1370-B S. Main St. in Salinas, next to Nob Hill) is open for voting 8am-5pm Mon-Fri and also 9am-5pm Sat, Nov. 5.

Vote-by-mail ballots can be dropped off through Election Day to the Elections Department or any polling place, or postmarked by Nov. 8 and delivered by Nov. 14.