COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

 

DATE:

January 12, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

January 24, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Warren Slocum, Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder

SUBJECT:

Proposal for Urgency California State Legislation to Permit California Counties the Option to conduct the June 6, 2006 Gubernatorial Primary Election by All-Mail Ballot

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution in support of urgency state legislation that would grant any county in California the option to conduct the June 6, 2006 Gubernatorial Primary Election by all-mail ballot if the local governing body authorizes the recommendation by the local Chief Elections Official. All mail elections comply with federal and state laws.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitments: Realize the potential of our diverse population; and responsive, effective and collaborative government, with leaders working together across boundaries to preserve and enhance our quality of life.

Goals 2, 22, 24, 25: Civic engagement, including voting and participation in public discussions of important issues; county and local governments effectively communicate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire county; and residents accepting individual responsibility for contributing to the quality of life of the county as a whole and express their support for regional, collaborative approaches to issues.

 

This law will serve this vision by facilitating equal voter participation in the June 2006 gubernatorial primary election, at reduced cost and in full legal compliance.

 

BACKGROUND:

The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 USC 15301 et seq.) (HAVA) requires that the June 6, 2006 Gubernatorial Primary Election be conducted so as to provide every polling place at least one accessible voting machine that affords voters with disabilities the opportunity to cast their ballot independently and in secret.

 

San Mateo County’s current voting system is not compliant, absent the addition of an accessible ballot-marking device. We are poised to buy a complete new system from a new vendor, but the state certification process is not yet finalized.

 

The proposed legislation (see Attachment A) will authorize San Mateo County and any other county in California the option to conduct the June election entirely by mail ballot. In the Statewide Special Election held November 2005, 48% voted by mail.

 

DISCUSSION:

 

While the delays in certification assure that California counties are purchasing voting devices that meet rigorous and important standards, the impact of the certification delays is also the cause of concern for election professionals. We, too, are committed to elections with integrity. Achieving that same integrity locally requires time—time to acquire and test the newly acquired voting equipment and time to educate staff, poll workers and the community on how to use the new system.

 

Responsible election professionals agree that new voting systems need to be delivered not later than March 10. That’s when the candidate nominations period closes and election professionals begin to design ballots. In San Mateo County, there are more than 350 ballot styles to accommodate the political jurisdictions, party choices and language options. Today, this seems unlikely.

 

Given the growing popularity of voting by mail in California (48% in San Mateo County in Nov. 2005), the substantial cost savings and the fact that all mail elections meet HAVA requirements, this one-time alternative deserves serious consideration. An all mail election will reduce our costs by a third. Both Oregon and Washington have successfully satisfied HAVA conducting all mail elections; Washington allows each county to determine how it will conduct its elections.

 

This would provide a legal, less costly, one-time-only alternative to safeguard the integrity of elections in California. It will allow responsible election professionals the time to they need to replace entire voting systems for the first time in many years.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

There will be no Net County Cost. An all-mail election could save up to $650,000.