Download Letter to Registrar of Voters - League of Women Voters of the Eden

Alameda County Council
of
Leagues of Women Voters
Alameda
Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville
Eden Area
Fremont/Newark/Union City
Oakland
Piedmont
Monday, June 29, 2015
Tim Dupuis
Registrar of Voters
Alameda County
By email
Dear Mr. Dupuis,
The Alameda County Council of Leagues of Women Voters, representing the six Leagues in the
County, would like to meet with you to discuss election costs for candidates and measures and
updating procedures for the election rolls. We seek answers to questions listed on the second
page. Our goal is to ensure transparency and to provide information to the public.
Our questions are driven by two concerns:
Why are candidates in small special district elections asked to pay such high fees to print their
statements that they often can not afford to pay?
Why do we hear so many anecdotes from voters saying that their dead relative or their previous
maiden name are still on the rolls, despite repeated efforts to remove them.
The League would like—with your assistance- to compile accurate information about these two
concerns and make it available online for public viewing. We would greatly appreciate your
sharing of your insight and knowledge with the League about election codes, municipal ordinances
and local agency policies.
Sincerely yours,
Tamra Hege
Chair
[email protected]
ACCLWV to ACROV re election costs and procedures
Page 2 of 2
June 29, 2015
COST & INFORMATION ALLOCATION FOR CANDIDATES and BALLOT MEASURES
in the Voter’s Pamphlet/Handbook/Guide.
Who makes the decisions about the cost to the local, regional agency or county candidate or ballot measure
proponent and opponent to have information included in the appropriate voter’s guide? State? County? Relevant
agency, city or jurisdiction?
Is the answer different for Candidate Statements and for Ballot Measure text and arguments?
Who decides who pays? For Candidate? For Ballot Proponent/Opponent?
Does the Election Code define who pays costs?
If decided locally, which agency or entity decides?
How is the fee for a candidate or measure proponent/opponent statement or argument calculated?
By ROV or ?
How is the cost charged to the agency or government entity that is holding an election determined?
Which agency or elected body pays or subsidizes costs for candidate statements?
For ballot measures statements or arguments?
Is there an Election Code section explaining payment subsidies?
How does the County ROV decide whether translations into other languages are needed?
FOR BALLOT MEASURES
Which agency makes the final decision on the ballot measure text published in election materials sent to voters?
Is there an Election Code provision that decides which measures will have their full text published in the Voters Guide
and which will have only a shorter edited text published?
PRECINCT LOCATION
How is precinct location determined?
Does that system change for a special election? An off-year election? A General Election?
UNCONTESTED RACES
How is the decision about whether to publish information about uncontested races made?
Is it made by the agency for which the election would be held or by the ROV?
Is cost the only consideration? If yes, how is that cost calculated? Has the ROV’s Office considered listing at least the
basic information about the uncontested races in the voter’s guide?
KEEPING VOTER ROLLS INFORMATION UP TO DATE
What is the process?
How often is it done? monthly? quarterly? after an election? as information is submitted to ROV? By other agencies?
By voters themselves?
What happens if a voter moves and Alameda County ROV is not informed?
Does the voter stay indefinitely on the voter rolls?
How will these answers change once the VoteCal Project is in place?