Local Organization Spotlight: Contra Costa County Elections Division

This Patch article is sponsored by Contra Costa County Elections Division.

Local organizations are the heart of our communities. Patch had a chance to talk with Kristin B. Connelly, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder-Registrar, of Contra Costa County Elections Division.

Patch: Tell us a bit about your organization:
Kristin B. Connelly: The Contra Costa County Elections Division is responsible for the safe and secure administration of Contra Costa County's elections.

We maintain the county’s list of voters, produce ballots and voter guides, and tabulate and certify election results. Our team consists of dozens of permanent staff, temporary workers during elections and hundreds of poll workers—all of whom are our neighbors. All staff are well-trained and fully background checked. We all care deeply about the security of our elections and are working overtime when needed to ensure your vote counts. Accurate and timely elections are a cornerstone of our democracy.

Patch: What should voters know about this election?
Kristin B. Connelly: Contra Costa County’s elections are safer than ever. That’s because we take 48 steps to guarantee the safety, accuracy and integrity of your vote. All voters should know the following about our elections:

1) Voting by mail is safe. Ballots are only mailed to active, registered voters, and all envelopes have unique tracking numbers. Signatures are always verified against voter records before ballots are even opened. Voters can only vote once.

2) Only United States citizens can vote. Anyone who registers to vote signs an affidavit under penalty of perjury that they are eligible to vote. People who are ineligible and attempt to register face criminal charges. All voter registration records are checked against DMV and/or social security records. By law, the DMV does not share records from undocumented Californians to confirm voter eligibility. The DMV only verifies U.S. citizens with IDs or licenses.

3) Vote counts are accurate. To audit results and ensure the accuracy of equipment, we perform a logic and accuracy test to confirm that our voting equipment works accurately before every election. We also conduct a manual tally of 1% of all ballots as required by California law. All ballots must be accounted for, and any issues are identified and corrected during reconciliation.

4) Ballots and voting equipment are secure. All votes are counted with paper ballots, which are verifiable and auditable. Strict chain of custody measures ensure at least two people are always with ballots and equipment. Tabulation machines are never connected to the internet and all USB ports are locked.

Patch: What inspired you to prioritize those issues?
Kristin B. Connelly: California has strong election laws that our staff follows with great care. Unfortunately, too many rumors have swirled around our elections, leading many voters to be skeptical of the accuracy and integrity of our democracy. The truth is, our elections are secure, thanks to strong election laws, detailed processes, and strict enforcement measures. I do this work because it’s foundational to our success as a representative democracy that all eligible votes are counted in every election.

Patch: What's the most common piece of advice you give to voters?
Kristin B. Connelly: Take the pressure off: return your ballot early! I just got a text from someone about a lost ballot. Don’t let that happen to you! It’s easy to misplace your mail-in ballot or to get side-tracked on Election Day. While others sweat, you can relax knowing your ballot was counted. Sign up at BallotTrax.net to be notified that your ballot has been received and counted.

Your vote matters, so don’t put it off. Plan to return your ballot by mail or to a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Tues., Nov. 5.

Patch: What’s the most important part of your job?
Kristin B. Connelly: My number one priority is to ensure that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote, and that their vote is counted accurately. County Clerks and Registrars are at the very forefront of democracy. We take our jobs, and oaths of office, seriously.

Patch: What opportunities are there for voters to learn more or participate in the process?
Kristin B. Connelly: We encourage anyone who is curious about how we manage elections to visit our “Trust in Elections” website at secure-election.org. There, we have answers to all your questions, tons of resources and short videos that show the processes in action.

If you want to go further, you are also welcome to visit our office and observe our work—from opening ballots to checking signatures to scanning ballots. Those who are particularly passionate can sign up for our Certified Election Observer Program (CEO). CEOs get to meet with our staff on a regular basis to get a “behind the scenes” look at the intricacies of our election system and see each step we take to keep our elections secure.

And, come next election year, you can even sign up to be a poll worker and volunteer at a polling place near you.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your office’s work? (site URL, Facebook, Twitter, contact information, etc.)

Kristin B. Connelly: If you have any questions about how or where to vote, visit contracostavote.gov/elections, call (925) 335-7800 or email voter.services@vote.cccounty.us. You can also track your ballot with BallotTrax at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov.

I also encourage readers to visit secure-election.org to learn all the ways Contra Costa County protects our vote.