San Mateo County Grand Jury • 2007-2008

Issue | Background | Findings | Conclusions | Recommendations | Responses | Attachments Mail-Only Precincts And How

Published: July 10, 2008 7 pages
View Original PDF

Findings and Recommendations 9 findings

F1
Forty days before the election, the San Mateo County Elections Office (SMCEO) mails voters in mail-only precincts a letter alerting them that they live in a mail- only precinct and that they will receive a Vote-by-Mail ballot. The letter also advises these voters that if they choose not to vote by mail, they may drop off their voted ballot at one of the following locations: 1) Elections Office at 40 Tower Road; 2) Elections Office at 555 County Center, 1st floor; or 3) any city hall in San Mateo County. (See Attachment 2)
No recommendations for this finding
F2
The SMCEO abides by California election laws and delivers Vote-by-Mail ballots to the post office 29 days before the election, the earliest date that ballots can be mailed.2
No recommendations for this finding
F3
If voters do not want to vote by mail, they may vote in person at the Elections Offices on Tower Road or at the County Center in Redwood City if they surrender their Vote-by-Mail ballot and vote during the early voting period on the voting system. On election day, voters have another option of personally dropping off their ballots between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at any open polling place in San Mateo County, at the two election offices, or at any city hall in the county during regular business hours.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
The mail-only voters who show up on election day without their Vote-by-Mail ballot are allowed to vote. However, their ballot is a provisional ballot, which is a paper ballot that is counted last in order to ensure they have not already voted by mail.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Voters who vote by mail can confirm receipt of their voted mail ballot using the Track and Confirm feature on the Election Department’s website www.shapethefuture.org. On election day, the SMCEO provides signage at traditional physical voting places which are no longer used, to inform voters in several languages that their voting place is no longer operational and to provide a number to call for information.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Official voting materials and notices from the SMCEO have been printed in different colors, such as lavender, to differentiate from other mail that voters may receive. Despite these different-colored materials and notices, voters who do not always check and read their mail carefully, may turn up at their regular voting location on election day and find it closed if their precinct has become a mail-only 2 Section 4101 http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=elec&group=04001- 05000&file=4100-4108 precinct. Voters, who show up on election day must use provisional ballots, as noted above.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Grand Jury recommends that the San Mateo County Election Office: Continue to alert voters in mail-only precincts, if these alerts are shown to be effective in increasing voter turnout. Attachment 1: Mail Only Precincts 93 MAIL CITIES BALLOT PRECINCTS 1023 Burlingame 1024 Burlingame 1025 Burlingame 1201 Burlingame 1202 Burlingame 1203 Burlingame 1204 Burlingame 1402 Hillsborough 1405 Hillsborough 1411 Hillsborough 1412 Hillsborough 1503 Millbrae 1602 San Bruno 1623 San Bruno 1627 San Bruno 1629 San Bruno 1630 San Bruno 1631 San Bruno 1632 San Bruno 1633 San Bruno 1705 San Mateo 1817 So. San Fran 1941 San Mateo 1942 San Mateo 1943 San Mateo 1944 San Mateo 1945 San Mateo 1946 San Mateo 1947 San Mateo 1948 San Mateo 1949 San Mateo 2118 Belmont 2121 Belmont 2122 Belmont 2219 Foster City 2225 Foster City 2615 San Mateo 2616 San Mateo 2618 San Mateo 2631 San Mateo 2670 San Mateo 3004 Atherton 3009 Atherton 3201 Belmont 3203 Belmont 3210 County 3211 County 3330 Half Moon Bay 3331 Half Moon Bay 3360 San Gregorio 3361 Skyline 3371 Skyline 3372 Skyline 3373 Skyline 3374 Skyline 3375 Skyline 3376 Skyline 3377 Skyline 3380 San Gregorio 3403 Alameda 3404 Alameda 3405 Alameda 3421 Los Trancos 3506 Pacifica 3516 Pacifica 3532 Pacifica 3533 Pacifica 3540 Pacifica 3627 San Carlos 3629 San Carlos 3630 San Carlos 3704 Lake 3705 Lake 3711 Searsville 3803 Woodside 3807 Woodside 3810 Woodside 4013 East Palo Alto 4406 Menlo Park 4412 Menlo Park 4429 Menlo Park 4430 Menlo Park 4507 Oaks 4636 Redwood City 4647 Redwood City 4649 Redwood City 4650 Redwood City 4651 Redwood City 4701 Redwood City 4702 Redwood City 5201 Club 5834 So. San Fran 5902 Visitacion Attachment 2: Alert Letter July 24, 2008 Hon. Joseph C. Scott Hall of Justice 400 County Center, 2nd Floor Redwood City, CA 94063 Dear Judge Scott: The 2007-2008 Grand Jury filed a report on July 10, 2008 which contained a recommendation on “Mail Ballot Precincts and how they affect voters in San Mateo County.” Specifically, the Grand Jury recommended that the San Mateo County Elections Office: • Continue to alert voters in mail-only precincts, if these alerts are shown to be effective in increasing voter turnout. We agree with this recommendation. Sincerely, Warren Slocum
F7
The SMCEO predicts that the upcoming November 2008 presidential election will see one of the largest turnout of voters in the county’s history. Predictions are as high as 85% which would top the previous high mark of 81%. To assure a better understanding of the mail-only voting process for the expected high voter turnout in November, the SMCEO tested the effectiveness of an automated phone reminder seven days before the June 2008 primary election.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
On a trial basis, about 50% of the households randomly selected in the 93 mail- only precincts will receive an automated phone call reminding them that they must vote by mail. The SMCEO is evaluating whether these calls have led to a greater return of mail-only ballots and fewer questions and complaints on election day.
No recommendations for this finding
F9
The SMCEO will continue to have phone banks set up on election day in November so that callers can reach a live operator and not an automated message. Conclusions The San Mateo County Election Office goes beyond legal requirements to ensure that all voters are properly informed of their voting place. The Grand Jury commends the San Mateo County Election Office for the extra steps it is taking to ensure that voters in the 93 mail-only precincts in the county understand the mail-only voting process.
No recommendations for this finding

Conclusions 1

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

County of San Mateo Agency