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.