2024 Election Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, June 21, 2024 9:30 AM
Civic Center Room 125

Minutes

Attendees

Becky Bingea, Robin Diederich, Andrew Kingsdale

Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending.

Registration and Turnout

The committee reviewed the following reports:

• Youth (18-24) Registration and Turnout for statewide elections starting in 2008
• Registration and Turnout in the November 2020 General Election for all age categories
• Vote-by-Mail Signature No Match, 2014-2024 (number of ballots left uncounted due to voter inaction)
• Vote-by-Mail Ballots received after Election Day and not processed, 2016-2024:
  • Number of ballots received within 7-day grace period but no date on envelope showing ballot was mailed on or before Election Day as required by law
  • Number of ballots received after the 7-day grace period

Miscellaneous

The committee reviewed two articles:

• Sonoma County voter prosecuted by DA for voter fraud
• Potential changes to DMV registration

Ms. Roberts talked about a recent presentation she gave at a meeting of the Grand Jury Association, and mentioned an upcoming tour she would lead for a group from the League of Women Voters of Marin County.

Mr. Kingsdale talked about two bills currently being considered by the State Legislature: 1) An urgency bill regarding guns at polls, and 2) A bill addressing the use of “deep fakes” in campaigns.

The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, July 19, 2024, and will feature a guest speaker from the Student Elections Ambassador Program (SEAP)—a program sponsored by the Elections Department, League of Women Voters of Marin County, and Marin County Office of Education.

The meeting adjourned at 11:25 AM.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, May 17, 2024, 9:30 AM
Civic Center Room 125

Minutes

Attendees

Becky Bingea, Greg Brockbank, Robin Diederich, Cathleen Dorinson, Andrew Kingsdale

Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters; Dan Miller, Candidate Services; Danny Straub, Outreach / Team Support; Elizabeth Iwamiya, Outreach / Ambassador Program

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending.

Candidate Filing Process

Dan Miller reviewed the candidate filing process and provided statistics about local races included in the November 2024 general election.

• 103 contests in 57 jurisdictions, including schools, special districts and municipalities
• 150 open seats (minimum)

The candidate filing process starts with the online application. Mr. Miller then emails the required documents to the candidate. The department posts a candidate guide online to assist with the filing process. Candidates for schools and special districts file with the county elections department, and candidates for municipalities file with the city / town clerks.

There is a procedure to recruit and appoint a candidate if no one files for open seats. If there are more candidates than open seats, the race goes to the ballot. A city contest, regardless of number of candidates, will go to the ballot if the city has a measure on the ballot.

Candidates may use a business email or business phone number for their public contact information. Many candidates don’t want to give out personal information and they may create a campaign email account. It can be somewhat difficult to get candidate contact information for city / town candidates; the county elections department has no authority to require disclosure of this information. Prior to candidate filing, Mr. Miller shares the county’s application form with the city / town clerks in an effort to coordinate information gathering.

Updates: Outreach and Student Elections Ambassador Program

Danny Straub reviewed planned outreach efforts for the November general election. Efforts will include:

• Simplifying language and making messages specific to the November election.
• Including a campaign about why people should vote by having community members answer the question, “I vote because…”.
• Switching to a local vendor for digital advertising in an effort to make the campaign more robust.
• Hosting a booth at the upcoming county fair in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Marin County and Canal Alliance. Student ambassadors will also be involved. The elections department will bring an accessible ballot marking device so people can become familiar with the equipment.
• Partnering again with the League of Women Voters of Marin County to host tables at the Civic Center on National Voter Registration Day. This year the event will include a band to make the day more festive. The goal is to be present in the public space so voters feel a connection with the department.
• Working with the Marin City Library to solicit student art about voting to be posted outside vote centers.

Elizabeth Iwamiya reviewed a potential partnership with the library system that could include a variety of events:

• First time voter seminars
• Voter registration “wellness” check
• Election themed trivia night
• Election themed bingo cards
• Media literacy to promote trusted information about elections
• Social media partnering
• Supporting National Library Week by thanking libraries for supporting voter registration

The Civic Center library would be the test location for new programs. Recommendations from the Adult Services Committee include creating bookmarks with election-related information and QR codes to check registration. Also, the team recognizes that the libraries in Marin City and the Canal are a vibrant part of the community and would be important partners. It would also be beneficial to include student ambassadors. Many ideas are available from other counties that have a relationship with their libraries.

The focus this year, however, will be on meeting the required outreach goals specified in the department’s Election Administration Plan. The library partnership presents some exciting future outreach possibilities.

Ms. Iwamiya also gave an update about the Student Elections Ambassador Program (SEAP).

• SEAP is a student led program supported by the Marin County Elections Department, Marin County Office of Education, and the League of Women Voters of Marin County.
• Last year the program was opened to college students and this year the program has 50 student ambassadors from 14 schools.
• The SEAP steering committee includes three ambassadors, called student liaisons, who help keep the program vibrant with their suggestions and input.
• This year, the student liaisons will be recognized as Volunteer Team of the Year by the county volunteer office. The presentation will be held on June 6 at 1:30 PM in the Board of Supervisors chambers.
• One former ambassador and a current ambassador will work as volunteer interns in the elections department for a few weeks during spring and summer, and will focus on ways to expand the program, including social media.
• SEAP students have been attending community events, such as the Bon Air Fair, to promote the program.

Discussion:

• A member suggested inviting someone from Marin City to participate in the county fair booth.
• Regarding library partnerships, a member suggested designating a small room in libraries to meet with people who may be nervous about the process and answer their questions in a neutral space.
• A member suggested that Instagram may be a good way to reach a larger audience for the Student Elections Ambassador Program.
• Ann Wakely with the League of Women Voters of Marin County will be making a presentation about SEAP at an upcoming convention.

The meeting adjourned at 11:15 AM.

The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 2024.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, April 19, 2024, 9:30 AM
Civic Center Room 125

Minutes

Attendees

Becky Bingea, Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Andrew Kingsdale, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein

Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending. She introduced new member Andrew Kingsdale. Mr. Kingsdale gave a brief overview about his background and interest in the committee.

March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election

The committee reviewed the following statistics:

• Secretary of State Report of Registration dated February 20, 2024. The report lists the number of people eligible to register and the total registered for each county. This report shows that as of February 20, Marin County has 169,939 registered voters (93.78% of eligible), which is the second highest percent of registered voters in the state—second to Alpine County that has 941 registered voters (94.76% of eligible).
• Elections Department Vote by Mail and Provisional Ballot Report. This report shows turnout by vote-by-mail and in-person voting; shows the number of challenged vote-by-mail ballots and reasons; and shows the number of provisional and conditional ballots and reasons for challenges.
• Elections Department Historic Election Stats. This report shows registered voters and turnout for primary and general elections in 2018, 2020, 2022, and March 2024.

The committee discussed reasons why it takes so long to process vote-by-mail ballots after Election Day. Ms. Roberts reviewed the process for preparing ballots to be counted, which includes running them through the sorter, verifying the signature on the envelope and taking the ballot out of the envelope. When thousands of voters wait until Election Day to return their mail ballot, which happened in the March election, the tally process is delayed. Also, ballots may be received up to seven days after the election and voters have the opportunity after the election to fix a signature issue on their envelope (missing or not matching their voter registration). The procedure supports the secure processing of ballots to eliminate possibility of fraud.

However, a law passed in 2023 (AB 626) now allows voters to cast their vote-by-mail ballot at a vote center without an envelope after they check-in so their voting record can be updated to show they voted and after they sign the roster. This ensures that a vote-by-mail ballot is counted by election night.

Outreach Idea

Ms. Roberts asked for feedback about an outreach concept that would have people complete the statement, “I vote because…”. The statements would be used in outreach efforts to encourage others to vote.

Committee members responded favorably to the idea and made the following suggestions:

• Banners with the statements could be used on buses
• Have well-known people provide a quote, such as community leaders who are admired and sports figures
• Consider a mix of people, including non-famous people
• Include the person’s photo with the quote
• Elections Department develop “template” quotes and have people attach their name to it, or revise the quote “in their own words”
• Consider generational criteria—who can non-voters identify with?
• Incorporate high school age
• Post on social media

Using committee members’ feedback, Ms. Roberts will discuss the possibilities with the department’s outreach team.

Open Discussion

The committee discussed matters concerning candidate filing, specifically the best way to get contact information. Ms. Roberts will invite Dan Miller, who oversees candidate services, to review the process and answer questions at the May meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 11:20 AM.

The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, May 17, 2024.

Registrar of Voters
Election Advisory Committee Meeting
Friday, January 19, 2024, 9:30 AM
Civic Center Room 125

Minutes

Attendees

Becky Bingea, Robin Diederich, Bob Richard, Steve Silberstein, Jenny Sowry

Prospective Member: Emily Tenorio

Elections Department: Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters; Danny Straub and Elizabeth Iwamiya, Outreach Coordinators

Visitor: Andrew Kingsdale

Welcome

Lynda Roberts opened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending. She introduced Emily Tenorio who is interested in joining the committee. Ms. Tenorio gave a brief overview about her background and interest in the committee.

Outreach Update provided by Danny Straub

Danny Straub reviewed outreach efforts for the March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election.

• Partnering with Hearst Digital Media to display ads on popular websites, including SF Gate, in required languages (Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese). This strategy was new for the November 2022 election to help meet language-targeted outreach requirements.
• Ads in print media include Marin IJ, Pacific Sun, Point Reyes Light, and La Voz.
• Printed material will be translated into Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese; the outreach team will canvass the county to ensure lobby materials are displayed.
• The outreach team plans to attend community events such as farmer’s markets and the Probation Department’s community check-in.
• The outreach team is working with the League of Women Voters of Marin on a registration drive in the county jail. This is a first-time effort, which will be educational and then the team will follow-up with delivering ballots.
• The second required pre-election mailer will be sent soon and will include the list of vote center and drop box locations and hours. Because this is a party-based election for presidential primary candidates, the voter’s party will be printed on the inside of the card.
• Community engagement opportunities: Attended the county’s participatory budget process event in Marin City; planning to accompany the Health & Human Services Department to meet unhoused people living at Binford Road. Other opportunities to engage include Ritter Center, Homeward Bound, Community Action Marin, and Streat Team San Rafael. Planning to visit assisted living centers.
• Ads are currently being displayed on buses.
• Public TV is running a PSA for nonpartisan voters to let them know about their options for voting in the primary election.
• The ballot wrap that is in the vote-by-mail packet includes a message about those registered with a party and those registered as No Party Preference.

Elizabeth Iwamiya reviewed the Secretary of State’s social media toolkit. She has been posting the messages on the department’s Facebook. These are short, direct messages that provide specific information about the upcoming election. She also provides the toolkit to the department’s Voter Education and Outreach Advisory Committee so members can share messages with their networks. Ms. Iwamiya plans to include more personalized messages on Facebook to create a feeling of friendliness and inspire trust in the department. For example, she is creating a series of Fun Fact Friday posts.

Ms. Iwamiya also reviewed the Student Elections Ambassador Program, which includes three subcommittees: (1) Youth Town Hall, an event where students can engage with mayors from cities and towns in Marin County; (2) presentations to elementary and middle-school students; (3) first-time voters. Student ambassadors will have an opportunity at the Bon Air Plaza Fair and Marin Teen Girls Conference to host a table for voter registration / pre-registration and talk about the ambassador program.

Questions:

Q. What kind of analytics are available?

A. Hearst Digital Media provides performance reports so the outreach team can compare effectiveness of advertising. The reports from the 2022 campaign showed an above average click-thru rate for non-English ads. When a viewer clicks on an ad, they are redirected to either the department’s website or Secretary of State’s website.

Suggestions:

• Compare our mailers with those from other counties
• Post photos on Facebook to create a personal touch
• Consider posting “A Day in the Life”, that spotlights staff members
• Show the lifecycle of a ballot
• Create “behind the scenes” content
• Highlight integrity

March Election Key Dates

• January 25: Mailing of voter information guides begins
• February 5: Mailing of ballots begins
• February 5: In-person voting starts at Elections Office
• February 6: Official mail ballot drop boxes open
• February 24: Four vote centers open, including Elections Department
• March 2: Sixteen additional vote centers open
• March 5—Election Day: All 21 vote centers open
• Vote center and drop box locations and hours of operation are posted online
• All vote centers are open 7 AM to 8 PM on Election Day
• The notice for observers will be posted by the end of January

Lynda Roberts mentioned that the number of voters signed up for BallotTrax (the free ballot tracking service provided by the Secretary of State) remains at 32%. She asked for ideas about why people might not be signing up even though the department consistently promotes the service. Members suggested that most voters may not be worried. However, continuing to promote and highlight the message shows the department’s interest in voters and promotes transparency, which are both important.

Open discussion

Members asked about the new law that will allow voters to cast their vote-by-mail ballot at a vote center without the envelope (Assembly Bill 626, 2023). Ms. Roberts explained that a voter will be required to check-in so their status can be changed to “voted” and sign a roster before casting the ballot.

Members asked about the “shut-down” of the department’s Voter Information Portal on the website. This was de-activated since the Secretary of State offers the information at https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/

Becky Bingea talked briefly about the League of Women Voters switch to using Vote411 to post nonpartisan information about candidates. They encourage local candidates to participate and post a profile. The site also includes information about measures.

The meeting adjourned at 11:15 AM.

The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 19, 2024.