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Election Advisory Committee Biennial Activity Report 2015 and 2016

Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters, Elections

The Registrar of Voters thanks the Election Advisory Committee for its dedication to improving the election process in Marin County. Through its recommendations and feedback, the Election Advisory Committee has enhanced the election process for the benefit of all voters in Marin County. Find more information online at about the Election Advisory Committee on our website, or email Lynda Roberts.

Download a PDF version of the Election Advisory Committee Biennial Activity Report 2015 and 2016

Index

Committee

Committee

  • Purpose
    • The Election Advisory Committee was established in 2006 by the Registrar of Voters and acts as a link between the Registrar and the voting public. The committee provides feedback and advice on issues that affect voters, and learns about election processes and laws that impact the procedures of the Elections Department.

    • The committee is interested in helping ensure that every eligible resident of Marin County has the opportunity to vote, and that all valid ballots are counted accurately and securely.
  • Meetings and Membership
    • Membership includes up to twenty community members that belong to different political parties, and have diverse backgrounds in business, politics, academics, labor, law, government and non-profit organizations. They bring different points of view about issues, and share an interest in transparent, fair, and honest elections.

    • Committee Members 2015-2016: Greg Brockbank, Cathleen Dorinson, Veda Florez, Barbara Gaman, Bonnie Glaser, Marcia Hagen, Ora Hatheway, Morgan Kelley, Mark Kyle, Anne Layzer, Jeanne Leoncini, Peter Mendoza, Tom Montgomery, Damian Morgan, Sean Peisert, Bob Richard, Maddy Ruvolo, Steve Silberstein, Cat Woods.

    • The Committee typically meets eight times during the year. The annual meeting schedule, meeting minutes and activity reports are posted on our website. The public is welcome to attend meetings.
  • Subcommittee
    • The Voting System Subcommittee met in both 2015 and 2016 to discuss issues pertaining to a new voting system. The Subcommittee includes four members from the Election Advisory Committee, and four members from the Elections Department. Meeting minutes are posted online.

Highlights

Highlights

  • Goal
    • Continued engagement with the voting public by building integrity and voter confidence, and providing outreach and education.
    • The Committee focuses on four areas:
      • Election Integrity and Voter Confidence
      • Voter Outreach
      • Voter Education
      • Departmental Ongoing
  • Meeting Highlights —2015 and 2016
    • Election Integrity and Voter Confidence
      • Developed a list of required/desired features in a new voting system
      • Reviewed pros/cons of changing from polling place counting of ballots to central counting of ballots, and discussed feedback from other counties
      • Voting System Subcommittee met to: 1) review status of current voting system; 2) refine the list of required/desired features; 3) review changes at the national level; 4) discuss central counting of ballots; 5) discuss the vote center model
      • Reviewed questions about counting vote-by-mail and provisional ballots
      • Guest speaker talked about local mail only elections and central counting
      • Discussed voting system security and transparency of process
    • Voter Outreach
      • Committee discussed and recommended paying return postage for vote-by-mail ballots, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors in December of 2015 and implemented in June of 2016
      • Reviewed outreach efforts that included:
        • Presentations at Voces de Marin and Marin Communications Forum
        • National Voter Registration Day week-long events with 10 partner organizations
        • English/Spanish food pantry flyer program reached over 3,000 community members at Pt. Reyes Station, Marin City, Novato, Canal Alliance, and Ritter Center
        • Presentations at Tomales High, Novato High, Terra Linda High and Hill Education Center reached 232 students
          • Comments from high school students about class presentations
            • “…you did convince me to exercise my right to vote when I do turn eighteen. You both also gave me really persuasive points to give to my parents so that they will vote as well.”

            • “…thank you for taking the time to come to our class and help us with the registration process. I appreciate the push as I would not have known where to start otherwise…. I agree that voting is not taken seriously enough and believe that speaking to high school students about it is helpful.”
            • “You opened my eyes to the fact that I am eighteen years old and how I have the responsibility to my country to let my voice be heard. Thanks to you I even was able to register to vote!”

            • “Thank you very much for coming out to our school to teach us about the importance of voting. I learned a lot about the different groups of people that have fought for many years to gain the right to vote.”

            • “I can’t believe women couldn’t vote back then! That’s crazy! In that case when I turn 18 I’ll be sure to take advantage of voting.”

            • “On behalf of my class we would really like to thank you for coming and educating us and helping us register ourselves.”
      • Review detailed outreach activities under the Outreach Tab
    • Voter Education
      • Viewed new online video clip about voting by mail
      • Reviewed pages in voter guide that were simplified using League of Women Voters best practices manual
      • Assisted with drafting news releases
    • Departmental Ongoing
      • Reviewed poll worker outreach newsletters and poll worker recruiting efforts
      • Reviewed new laws impacting elections

Snapshot

Snapshot

  • Election Review
    • To better understand election trends and issues, the Election Advisory Committee reviews reports about elections and statistics related to voter registration, voter turnout, and vote by mail.
  • Highlights—2015 and 2016
    • Local District Elections—November 3, 2015
      • 143,352 registered voters
      • Turnout 49,653 (35%)
      • 78.5% Vote by Mail
    • Presidential Primary Election—June 7, 2016
      • 152,039 registered voters
      • Turnout 103,012 (68%)
      • 70% Vote by Mail
    • Local District Elections—November 3, 2015
      • 160,795 registered voters
      • Turnout 143,041 (89%)
      • 70% Vote by Mail
      • Marin County had the highest turnout statewide.

      • TABLE 1: Presidential General Elections—Comparing 2008, 2012, 2016

      Election Registered Total
      Ballots
      Cast      		 Returned
      Vote-by-Mail
      Ballots      		 Military/
      Overseas
      Voters      		 Provisional
      Ballots      		 Turnout Ranking
      in State
      Turnout
      Nov-16 160,795 143,041 100,442 2,809 7,347 88.96% Highest in State
      Nov-12 155,025 135,438 88,109 1,911 6,491 87.37% Highest in State
      Nov-08 155,640 141,321 82,950 540 3,984 90.80% 2nd Highest
  • Trends
    • Comparing Voter Turnout

        Chart 1 shows Marin County voter turnout in statewide elections beginning with the 2004 presidential general election. The highest turnout occurred in presidential election years—November 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. The lowest turnout occurred in three non-presidential primary elections—June 2006, 2008, and 2014. Table 2 provides additional detail.

        CHART 1: Statewide Elections—Comparing Turnout since November 2004

        Statewide Elections—Comparing Turnout since November 2004

        TABLE 2: Turnout in Statewide Elections since November 2004

        Elections Percent Turnout
        Nov 04 Presidential General 89.50%
        Jun 06 Gubernatorial Primary 48.64%
        Nov 06 Gubernatorial General 73.75%
        Feb 08 Presidential Primary 75.70%
        Jun 08 Statewide Primary 43.11%
        Nov 08 Presidential General 90.80%
        Jun 10 Gubernatorial Primary 51.31%
        Nov 10 Gubernatorial General 76.17%
        Jun 12 Presidential Primary 49.81%
        Nov 12 Presidential General 87.37%
        Jun 14 Gubernatorial Primary 40.87%
        Nov 14 Gubernatorial General 60.10%
        Jun 16 Presidential Primary 67.76%
        Nov 16 Presidential General 88.96%
    • Youth Registration and Turnout

        Chart 2 compares registration and turnout for Marin County youth ages 18-24 in presidential primary and general elections beginning in 2008. The blue column shows number of youth voters registered, and the red column shows turnout in presidential primary and general elections 2008--2016. Table 3 provides additional detail.

        CHART 2: Registration and Turnout Ages 18-24
        Presidential Primary and General Elections 2008—2016

        Registration and Turnout Ages 18-24, Presidential Primary and General Elections 2008—2016

        TABLE 3: Presidential Primary and General Elections
        Youth Registration/Turnout


        Presidential Elections
        Primary and General        		 Registered
        Ages 18-24        		 Turnout
        Ages 18-24        		 Percent
        Turnout
        Feb 08 Primary 8,894 3,682 41.40%
        Nov 08 General 11,719 7,938 67.74%
        Jun 12 Primary 8,675 1,947 22.44%
        Nov 12 General 10,913 6,825 62.54%
        Jun 16 Primary 10,341 5,215 50.43%
        Nov 16 General 11,931 8,177 68.54%
    • Vote by Mail

        Chart 3 shows the trend in voting by mail since the 2004 presidential general election. Table 4 provides additional detail.

        CHART 3: Voting by Mail in Statewide Elections November 2004—November 2016

        Voting by Mail in Statewide Elections November 2004—November 2016

        TABLE 4: Voting by Mail in Statewide Elections starting in November 2004

        Elections Percent
        Vote by Mail
        Nov 04 Presidential General 48.70%
        Jun 06 Gubernatorial Primary 56.78%
        Nov 06 Gubernatorial General 57.75%
        Feb 08 Presidential Primary 56.19%
        Jun 08 Statewide Primary 69.07%
        Nov 08 Presidential General 58.70%
        Jun 10 Gubernatorial Primary 65.32%
        Nov 10 Gubernatorial General 60.36%
        Jun 12 Presidential Primary 71.46%
        Nov 12 Presidential General 65.05%
        Jun 14 Gubernatorial Primary 77.45%
        Nov 14 Gubernatorial General 71.01%
        Jun 16 Presidential Primary 70.00%
        Nov 16 Presidential General 70.00%

Outreach

Outreach

  • Elections Department Voter Outreach Program
    • The goal of the voter outreach program is to reach future voters, help eligible voters better understand the process of registering and voting, and focus on engagement and voter registration opportunities in the Canal area of San Rafael, Marin City, Novato, and West Marin. Programs include voter education for Spanish speaking residents, youth 19-24 years of age, elderly, people with disabilities, high school students, homeless, and low-income residents.

    • The voter outreach program has grown significantly over the last two years to include more community partnerships and focused events for National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), thanks to efforts by Ms. Veda Florez, Elections Department Communication Outreach Consultant. The Elections Department has also increased its high school outreach efforts by collaborating with the Marin County Office of Education.

    • Voter outreach efforts touched on communities countywide. The following report outlines the activities accomplished in 2015 and 2016.
  • Various Outreach Efforts
    • The Elections Department assisted elderly voters, voters with disabilities, and voters requesting basic information in languages other than English, and made voter registration cards readily accessible throughout the County. The Elections Department also accepted invitations to participate at forums and on panels.
      • Prior to elections in 2015 and 2016, contacted 21 assisted living and elderly care facilities to provide information and offer voter registration services. Ten facilities invited staff members to provide on-site assistance.
      • Provided free audio CDs of local measures and state propositions to 35 community organizations; posted a link to the audio on the Department’s website
      • Participated on a panel celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
      • Presenter at Marin Forum/Voces de Marin engagement event
      • Presenter at two meetings of Parent Voices community group
      • The Department created a one-stop web link to information about accessibility
      • Marin County League of Women Voters distributed over 3,000 voter registration cards to post offices, municipal offices, libraries, Department of Motor Vehicles, community centers, and elderly care facilities.
      • For the 2015-16 election cycle, the Department sent over 500 letters and basic voting information in languages other than English to those who made the request on their voter registration form
  • High School Outreach
    • This program consists of making presentations in government classes about registering to vote and voting. It reviews historical information about voting rights and answers frequently asked questions, such as: When is Election Day? What’s on a ballot? How do I get information about the candidates and measures? Do I have to vote for everything on the ballot? Why do I have to register in order to vote? Where do I vote? What happens if I go away to college?

    • The Voter Registration Coordinator and the Polling Place/Poll Worker Coordinator will often accompany the Registrar of Voters to demonstrate online voter registration and talk about the student poll worker program. As a result of working with the Marin County Superintendent of Schools, this program has grown from outreach to one high school and approximately 20 students, to four high schools and over 200 students.
    • Presentations made in advance of the November 2016 election, included:
      • Tomales High – three government classes, approximately 40 students
      • Novato High – five government classes, approximately 150 students
      • Terra Linda High – one government class, approximately 32 students
      • Hill Education Center – 10 18-year old students
    • Because of teacher support, 80 students worked at the polls in 2016 compared to 21 students in the 2012 presidential cycle.
  • Community Partnerships & Events
  • Food Pantry Partnership
    • The Elections Department assisted elderly voters, voters with disabilities, and voters requesting basic information in languages other than English, and made voter registration cards readily accessible throughout the County. The Elections Department also accepted invitations to participate at forums and on panels.
      • Prior to elections in 2015 and 2016, contacted 21 assisted living and elderly care facilities to provide information and offer voter registration services. Ten facilities invited staff members to provide on-site assistance.
      • Provided free audio CDs of local measures and state propositions to 35 community organizations; posted a link to the audio on the Department’s website
      • Participated on a panel celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
      • Presenter at Marin Forum/Voces de Marin engagement event
      • Presenter at two meetings of Parent Voices community group
      • The Department created a one-stop web link to information about accessibility
      • Marin County League of Women Voters distributed over 3,000 voter registration cards to post offices, municipal offices, libraries, Department of Motor Vehicles, community centers, and elderly care facilities.
      • For the 2015-16 election cycle, the Department sent over 500 letters and basic voting information in languages other than English to those who made the request on their voter registration form
  • National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) Events
    • A new group of partners for NVRD joined the effort to reach more communities in 2016. National Voter Registration Day events were schedule for September 25 – October 1.

    • The Lifelong Learning Center at the Indian Valley Campus of College of Marin registered voters for one week prior to NVRD), and a civically engaged drama teacher at the College of Marin’s Drama Department gave her students extra credit to register voters.

    • The Elections Department’s press release went to local TV studios in San Francisco, and Chanel 7 KGO News brought their cameras to College of Marin and Dominican University; Univision Spanish Language Station also provided coverage. NVRD 2016 was the fourth year coordinating events in Marin County, and included tabling events and partnerships with these local organizations:
      • Asian Alliance – San Rafael
      • Center for Independent Living – San Rafael
      • College of Marin and YWCA at College of Marin – Larkspur
      • Dominican University – San Rafael
      • Festival Independencia – San Rafael
      • Latino Leaders – San Rafael
      • Latino Marin – Novato Farmers Market
      • League of Women Voters – Novato Farmers Market
      • Lifelong Learning Center/Indian Valley College – Ignacio
      • Marin Community Clinics – Novato
      • Main Street Mom’s West Marin – Pt. Reyes Station
      • Ritter Center – San Rafael
      • YWCA – San Rafael Farmers Market