Ventura County Grand Jury • 2003-2004

Ventura Couny2003-2004GrandJiLry FinalReport

Published: May 20, 2004 3 pages
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Findings 11 findings

F01
The Elections Division checks for duplicate registrations at the time of application five-point (last, middle andfirst date ofbirth, place using a name, ofbirth) matchingprocess. The Elections Division staffanalyzes and disposes of apparent duplicate registrations. any
F02
The Elections Division checks for simultaneousvoter registration in all other California counties by cross-matchingagainst statewide database. If a concurrentregistrations identified, the mostrecent registration saved are is regardless ofcounty and all others purged. Currently, batches of voter are new registrations periodicallyforwardedto the California SecretaryofState for are cross-checkagainst current registrations in every county in California. This statewide cross-checkhas been in place for about five years. In the very near future, that database will be made available online locallyto eachcounty, which will do its interactive statewide matchingat time ofapplication. own 1 Ventura County2003-2004GrandJiLry FinalReport
F03
Once month, the Elections Divisionreceives from appropriate county a departments, roster ofcountycitizens whohave died duringthe month. I a I Names this list purged from the voterrolls. I on are
F04
Once a year, the Elections Division receives from the courts a listofall individuals, state wide, who have been convictedof a felony in the previous year. These convicted felons are purged from thevoter rolls.
F05
Everysix months the Elections Division matches its complete voter registrationroll against the United States Post Office address database for I Ventura County. Ifthe post office database shows that registered voter a no longer resides at the registered address, the voter placed the inactive is on I voter roster. (When people move, they complete a change ofaddress card at the post ofiice. Theyrarely update theirvoter registration. Consequently, the Elections Division believes that the post office database is current and more reliable than the voterrolls database.) The for the post office main reason cross-matchis to eligible for significantlyreduced postal rates because remain ofreduced volume offorwarded mail, returned mail, and dead letters.
F06
Avoterplaced the inactive list need notfill out application orderto on a new in vote. A list ofinactive provided to the appropriate precinct. The names is voter need only show up at the polls, signthe roster andvote. The Elections Divisionwill conduct special audit ofthatvoter's situationbefore counting a his hervote. or
F07
If voterfails to vote two consecutivefederal elections (i.e., "primary" and a in a "general"election either order), and the Elections Division not of a in is aware any othercontact with the voter, the Elections Division dispatches a warning I post card to the address ofregistrationwhich alerts the registeredvoterthat I the registrationwill be purged from the rolls unless the voter completes and returns the postcard evidence thatthevoter alive andresides at as remains the registered address. Ifthe postcard is not returned in timely the a manner, registration purged. I is
F08
Untilthe mid-1970s, failure to vote resulted in automaticpurgingfromthe registrationrolls. Now, the postcard system outlined in FindingF-07 is in I effect. I
F09
Until 2003, "permanent" absentee ballot available onlyfor those a was individuals who physicallychallenged. In 2003, the law liberalized were was to allow "permanent" absentee ballots to be issued upon request and without I justification. However, there restnction placed the application. was a new on I The upermanent" absentee ballot application automatically cancelled is now upon failure to vote in any primary or general election.
F10
To date, the Election Divisionhas received and acted upon 70,000 applications for permanent absentee ballots.
F11
The Elections Division manuallychecks the signature each and voted on every absentee ballot against the voter's signature file. on 2 VoterRegistrationSafeguards Ventura Couny2003-2004GrandJury FinalReport I Conclusions c-01. The complaint described at the beginningofthis report could not be I substantiated. (F-01 through F-11) C-02. The EIections Division has in place all necessary and reasonable controls to insure that duplicateregistrations at insignificant non-existentlevel. are an or (F-01 through F-11) C-03. The Elections Division's aggressive and well thought out purging process allows little opportunityfor fraud waste ofvaluable due to or resources inflated stale voter registrationrolls. (F-01 through F-11) or I I Reeommendations

Recommendations 2

Conclusions 1

No Responses Found 1

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

Ventura County County Clerk-Recorder Elected County Office