Riverside County Grand Jury • 2024-2025

2024-2025 Riverside County Civil Grand Jury Report Riverside County Elections:

Published: June 10, 2025 18 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 12 findings

F1
After hiring a new Registrar, the new Registrar made security and ballot processing improvements.
No recommendations for this finding
F2
The ROV is cooperative with a community group interested in local election integrity.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
A community group is unable to independently verify ROV's certified election results, even when ROV provides the documentation it has available to them.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
Riverside County contracted for a procedural audit of ROV’s procedures to improve its election processes. 14
No recommendations for this finding
F5
Comprehensive independent performance audits encompass a broader spectrum of election issues than procedural audits.
No recommendations for this finding
F6
Riverside County’s ROV exceeded voter roll maintenance legal requirements in preparing for the November 5, 2024, General Election.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters implement additional methods and resources to make voter rolls as accurate as possible no later than the next Primary Election on June 2, 2026. Based on Findings: F-6 Financial Impact: Moderate
F7
The ROV complies with state laws in its Vote by Mail signature verification process.
No recommendations for this finding
F8
Temporary ROV employees manually conduct Vote by Mail signature verifications.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters explore the use of an automated signature verification process no later than the next Primary Election on June 2, 2026. Based on Findings: F-7 and F-8 Financial Impact: Moderate 15
F9
The ROV does not provide a comprehensive ballot audit trail for all issued, received, returned, and challenged ballots.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Board of Supervisors contract with a third-party, independent firm to conduct a performance audit of all aspects of ROV’s election processes and to take any necessary actions deemed appropriate by the next Primary Election on June 2, 2026. Based on Findings: F1 through F-12 Financial Impact: Moderate
F10
Handwritten Chain of Custody documents for the 2024 Primary Election and 2024 General Election were not always legible.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters explore automating ballot chain of custody processes no later than the next Primary Election on June 2, 2026. Based on Findings: F-2, F-3, F-4, F-5, F-8, F-9, and F-10 Financial Impact: Moderate
F11
ROV does not conduct emergency drills with temporary employees.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters establish detailed emergency procedures and drills for all employees and practice those procedures for each ballot processing shift no later than the next Primary Election on June 2, 2026. Based on Finding: F-11 Financial Impact: Minimal
R7
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Board of Supervisors establish an election security task force to enhance a unified security environment surrounding elections no later than March 1, 2026. Based on Finding: F-11 and F-12 Financial Impact: Moderate REQUIRED RESPONSES According to California Penal Code §933, governing bodies must respond to grand jury findings and recommendations while an elected county officer must respond to grand jury findings and recommendations California Penal Code §933.05 outlines the limits within which governing bodies are allowable to respond. Who Findings Recommendations Riverside County Board of F1 through F-12 R-1 through R-7 Supervisors 16 INVITED RESPONSES Who Findings Recommendations District Attorney, Riverside F-12 R-7 County Sheriff, Riverside County F-11 and F-12 R-7 Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Penal Code section 929 requires that reports of the Civil Grand Jury do not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Civil Grand Jury. Report Issued Date: 6/18/2025 Report Public Date: 6/24/2025 Response Due Date: 9/24/2025 17
F12
Cameras in the ROV ballot processing facility did not record during the two emergency evacuations. RECOMMENDATIONS The Civil Grand Jury submits the following recommendations to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and the ROV Registrar as they continue to take actions to improve public confidence in the county's election processes.
Related Recommendations (2)
R6
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Registrar of Voters obtain high-definition cameras for all ballot processing areas, record all ballot processing sessions, and keep recordings for at least 12 months so that it is ready no later than the next Primary Election on June 2, 2026. Based on Finding: F-12 Financial Impact: Moderate
R7
The Riverside County Civil Grand Jury recommends that the Riverside County Board of Supervisors establish an election security task force to enhance a unified security environment surrounding elections no later than March 1, 2026. Based on Finding: F-11 and F-12 Financial Impact: Moderate REQUIRED RESPONSES According to California Penal Code §933, governing bodies must respond to grand jury findings and recommendations while an elected county officer must respond to grand jury findings and recommendations California Penal Code §933.05 outlines the limits within which governing bodies are allowable to respond. Who Findings Recommendations Riverside County Board of F1 through F-12 R-1 through R-7 Supervisors 16 INVITED RESPONSES Who Findings Recommendations District Attorney, Riverside F-12 R-7 County Sheriff, Riverside County F-11 and F-12 R-7 Reports issued by the Civil Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Penal Code section 929 requires that reports of the Civil Grand Jury do not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Civil Grand Jury. Report Issued Date: 6/18/2025 Report Public Date: 6/24/2025 Response Due Date: 9/24/2025 17

Conclusions 6

No Responses Found 3

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

Riverside County Board of Supervisors Elected County Office
Riverside County District Attorney Elected County Office
Riverside County Sheriff Elected County Office