September 19, 2017 Co-hosted by: Co-sponsored by: What is the - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

California Voter’s Choice Act Implementation in Sacramento County September 19, 2017 Co-hosted by: Co-sponsored by:

What is the Voter’s Choice • Legislature passed SB 450, also known as Act? the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) in 2016. • Law was modeled after Colorado reform • Law authorized 14 counties to participate in 2018 • 4 counties have opted to participate • Sacramento is the largest and most diverse county participating • In 2020, all counties are authorized to participate. 2

• All voters will receive a vote by mail ballot • Local polling sites will be replaced by “vote centers” • Approximately 85% fewer in-person voting sites on Election Day What changes will the VCA make? • New opportunities at vote centers: • Early voting: • Approximately 16 vote centers will be open beginning 10 days before Election Day • Another 62 will open beginning three days before Election Day • Freedom to vote at any vote center • Same day registration • The county will also open 52 ballot dropoff sites 3

• The county will be considering 14 factors in the placement of dropoff locations and vote centers, including: 1. Proximity to public transportation. 2. Proximity to communities with historically low vote by mail usage. 3. Proximity to population centers. 4. Proximity to language minority communities. Where will the vote 5. Proximity to voters with disabilities. centers go? 6. Proximity to communities with low rates of household vehicle ownership. 7. Proximity to low-income communities. 8. Proximity to communities of eligible voters who are not registered to vote and may need access to same day voter registration. 9. Proximity to geographically isolated populations, including Native American reservations. 10.Access to accessible and free parking. 11.The distance and time a voter must travel by car or public transportation to a vote center and ballot drop-off location. 12.The need for alternate methods for voters with disabilities for whom vote by mail ballots are not accessible to cast a ballot. 13.Traffic patterns near vote centers and ballot drop-off locations. 14.The need for mobile vote centers in addition to the number of vote centers established pursuant to this section. • The county will also consider public input on placements 4

• County will develop an Election Administration Plan that must include the locations of vote centers and drop off Election sites. Administration • The county will release an Election Plan (EAP) Administration plan and the public will have at least 14 days to comment • After 14 days, the county must hold at least one public hearing • The county will then decide whether to make changes to the plan • The plan will also include the county’s multi-language education and outreach plan • The education and outreach plan is subject to approval by the Secretary of State’s office 5

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W W W . S O S . C A . G O V THE CALIFORNIA VOTER’S CHOICE ACT THE FUTURE IS NOW!

ELECTION PERFORMANCE INDEX CA Near Last • Turnout • Provisionals • Registration •

LOOKING FOR BEST PRACTICES PCEA 2014 • County Research • Group Colorado Visits • SB 450 •

BEST PRACTICES Public Input • Auto VBM • Drop Boxes • Early Voting • SDR • Vote Centers • Accessibility •

THE CALIFORNIA VOTER’S CHOICE ACT Public Participation Ballot Delivery In-Person Voting Ballot Drop-Off Locations Early Voting Vote Centers Same Day Voter Registration Use any Center

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  WWW.SOS.CA.GOV/ELECTIONS/VOTERS-CHOICE-ACT/ FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT: JAMES SCHWAB JAME.SCHWAB@SOS.CA.GOV

Why did Sacramento County adopt the VCA?  Expansion of voting opportunities to fit modern lifestyles  Conditional Voter Registration  Reduction of Provisional Ballots & “partial” counts  Cost Savings  Improved efficiency and use of resources  64% of active voters are already Permanent Vote by Mail voters

Sacramento County’s VBM Trend

Sacramento County’s Minimum Location Requirements  11 Day Vote Centers: 16  4 Day Vote Centers: 62  Total Vote Centers: 78  29 Day Ballot Drop-off Sites: 52

Outreach and Education  Website  Notices  Brochures/flyers  Community Events  High Schools Voter Education Presentations  City Council Meetings

Outreach and Education  Libraries  Hosting Public Education Workshops  Media  Videos  PSA  Social Media (Facebook, Twitter)  Radio, Television, Newspaper (languages)

Goals of the LAAC  Assist and advise county elections officials on existing programs to reach voters with limited-English proficiency, including:  Recruitment and staffing of bilingual Election Officers  Provide feedback on election and voter education materials  Enhance website usability  Provide expertise on language accessibility issues  Promote language accessibility initiatives  Respond to the County’s questions regarding language accessibility issues

Goals of the VAAC  Assist and advise county elections officials on existing programs to reach people with disabilities, including:  Recruitment of Election Officers  Provide feedback on election and voter education materials  Enhance website accessibility  Advise county elections officials on where to set up voting equipment and how to recognize barriers  Evaluate polling places for compliance with state and federal accessibility guidelines

Scheduled Meetings  VAAC Meetings are held at:  7000 65 th Street, Community Room Sacramento, CA 95823  Next scheduled VAAC meetings:  Tuesday, September 26 th at 6:00 p.m.  Tuesday, October 10 th at 6:00 p.m.  Tuesday, November 7 th at 6:00 p.m.  LAAC Meeting schedule coming soon

Election Administration Plan  Discussion plan on website  Public Consultation meetings held September 15  Additional Public Consultation meetings TBA

Share Your Comments Now:  We welcome your feedback!  Visit www.elections.saccounty.net and click on the banner shown below:

Share Your Comments Now:  Email your comments:  VoterInfo@SacCounty.net  Call us: (916) 875-6451

VAAC and VCA Implementation Sacramento County Paul Spencer, Disability Rights California

What is a VAAC? • A Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee -Community members What is its and purpose? -County elections officials • Sacramento’s VAAC benefits your community in many ways, providing a forum for the disability and senior communities to voice their concerns and provide advice. • The VAAC helps election officials plan and brainstorm. • The VAAC creates opportunities for collaboration and community outreach. 29

• Vote Center and ballot drop off locations: How can the • “proximity to voters with disabilities” VAAC help with and making a VCA election • “proximity to public transportation” accessible? • Outreach and media plans • Planning public workshop(s) for voters with disabilities 30

• The next meetings are: What is the • 9/26 @ 6pm status of • 10/10 @ 6pm Sacramento • 11/7 @ 6pm County’s VAAC? How can I • Meetings are open to the public participate? • Check out the County website for meeting times and announcements: http://www.elections.saccounty.net/VoteCe nters/Pages/Public-Notices.aspx 31

• The County must draft an Election Administration Plan (EAP) There will be Consultation opportunities to: meeting with the • Provide input before the EAP is disability drafted community • Provide feedback after the EAP is drafted • Under the VCA there are special requirements to consult with the disability and language communities • Recap of last week consultation meeting with the disability community on the EAP 32

LAAC and VCA Implementation Sacramento County Michelle Lim, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - California

• Language Accessibility Advisory Committee (“LAAC”) What is a LAAC? • Importance of language assistance What is its • What a LAAC can do: purpose? • Provide input and assistance on reviewing translations • Help plan community outreach and education • Recruit bilingual poll workers • Advise where language-minority communities frequent (identify vote center locations), among many other issues 34

Under Federal Law (comprehensive What are the assistance) languages • Spanish and Chinese covered in Under California State Law Sacramento • Tagalog, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese County? and Hindi 35

• Bilingual poll worker placements How can the • Bilingual voter education workshop LAAC • Language-minority media campaign participate • Public service announcements in minority according to the languages EAP? 36

• Next meeting TBD What is the status • Representation from all languages are of Sacramento needed County's LAAC? • Open call for membership here: How can I http://www.elections.saccounty.net/VoteCe participate? nters/Documents/LAAC%20Cover%20Lett er.pdf • For more information you can also contact voter-outreach@saccounty.net 37

Getting Involved with the VCC Sacramento County Nicolas Heidorn, California Common Cause