More than 3,400 Fresno Teachers Association members, many accompanied by family members, crowded Wednesday evening into the Paul Paul Theatre at the Fresno Fairgrounds for a pep rally-type union meeting that culminated with a strike authorization vote.

The teachers’ strike authorization vote — the first since October 2017 — will continue electronically until 5 p.m. Monday. Ballots were emailed to all teachers who were dues-paying members as of the end of September.