San Rafael, CA – Promotion of voter registration, vote-by-mail options and smartphone-accessible websites were among the top recommendations in the Marin County Election Advisory Committee’s annual report, which is now online.
The committee of Marin citizens, headed by Registrar of Voters Lynda Roberts, recently finalized a report for 2014 that included an emphasis on outreach, education, election integrity and efforts to improve voter confidence. With the committee’s ongoing feedback and goals in mind, the Elections Department partnered internally, as well as with individuals and nonprofit groups, to accomplish the objectives.
Report recommendations include:
- Educating voters about their option to vote by mail;
- Organizing a six-day event to highlight National Voter Registration Day in September and promote voter registration;
- Distributing more than 1,500 voter registration forms throughout the county;
- Recruiting more than 100 new poll workers;
- Participating in a demonstration of a new voting system;
- Creating a mobile website so voters can access election information on smartphones.
Elaine Ginnold, who retired as Marin’s registrar in July 2014, formed the committee in July 2006 and recruited members from all over Marin. The participants have diverse backgrounds in business, political affiliations, academics, labor, law, government and nonprofit organizations. They work from a citizens’ point of view by offering suggestions and assisting with outreach.
"We're very fortunate in Marin County to have both this committee for citizen input and a tradition of registrars who listen and respond to that input,” said committee member Cat Woods. “For example, Elaine Ginnold tightened chain-of-custody procedures and installed 24-hour video cameras in response to citizen concerns about security for vote-by-mail ballots. Lynda Roberts has already proven her dedication to continuing this solicitous and responsive approach, which in turn increases voter confidence in election results. We hope the Secretary of State will recommend this kind of committee as a best practice for all counties, because statewide results are only as good as the weakest link."
Roberts said the committee is an important link between her department and the voting public, “especially because they possess different points of view about elections issues,” she said. “Marin County is fortunate to have such an engaged citizenry and community members who are willing to participate on a committee devoted to promoting excellence in the elections process.”
The public is welcome to attend Advisory Committee meetings, which take place on the third Friday of most months; after a break in June and July, the group is next convening in August. The annual meeting schedule is posted online at www.marincounty.org.
Copies of the report are available at Marin County Public Libraries, or online at www.marinvotes.org. For more information about the Election Advisory Committee, contact Lynda Roberts, Registrar of Voters, by calling 415-473-6401, or emailing lroberts@marincounty.org.
For more information, call 415-473-6456. Follow the Elections Office on Facebook.