Colusa County to Expand In-person Voting
COLUSA COUNTY, CA (MPG) – Colusa County will soon join other California counties in changing the way people can vote.
While all registered voters in the county will continue to get a ballot in the mail, they will also have multiple opportunities to vote in person prior to Election Day.
“Colusa County’s goal is to increase voting participation by providing increased flexibility with multiple options for voters,” said Clerk-Recorder Cristy Edwards, the chief election official in Colusa County. “Voters can vote from home, vote at a vote center for 10 days prior to and on Election Day or return their mail ballot to any drop box location within the county.”
This voting model provides extended voting options with ease of access, Edwards reported to the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 15.
The Colusa County Elections Department has released a draft implementation plan based on new voting regulations that will be implemented by the 2024 primary and general elections, in keeping with the Voters Choice Act of 2016. Local election officials will continue to take public comments on the plan for about another week, Edwards said.
While people have shared their opinions on social media, they are not considered public comment for the record. Edwards said she had received only one official comment opposing extended voting days, but that other people may have negative perceptions about the significant changes to voting laws that have occurred in California, including making COVID-19 procedures permanent.
Regardless of the negativity, Edwards said she is required to implement the laws.
“It is not my opinion of election law; it is what I am required to do…” Edwards said. “I don’t have an option to go back to pre-COVID procedures.”
Although voting by mail came with significant costs, all registered voters will continue to get their ballots in the mail at least 29 days before the election, whether requested or not, and can be returned by mail in the provided postage-paid envelope prior to or on Election Day. In addition, Colusa County will have two Voter Assistance Centers (rather than precincts), each with expanded services.
Edwards said the significant difference with Voter Assistance Centers is that anyone can vote in person there, regardless of the precinct in which they are registered.
“Anyone can drop a ballot off; anyone can register to vote and do a provision ballot then, and there will be two full weekends that the vote centers will be open, Edwards said. “And there will be 11 days total for voting,” Edwards said.
People will also be able to get a replacement ballot at the center, get language assistance, or use ADA accessible devices.
Edwards said Voters Assistant Center staff will have real-time access to the County’s election management system, utilizing a secured virtual private network, which will allow them to see and update the status of each voter.
In addition to the voting centers, there will be drive-up drop boxes at several locations, including the alleyways or streets adjacent to the Colusa Police Station, the LaVanche Hursh Park in Arbuckle, and the Maxwell Fire Department.
Edwards said drive-up voting will be a major convenience – not just for people with mobility issues but because parking around the courthouse, where the walk-up drop box is located, is very limited.
“People won’t have to get out of their vehicles,” she said.
Edwards said eliminating precinct polling centers would provide considerable cost savings to the county, considering few people still vote in person.
“With only 5% of people using them, it has put a strain,” Edwards said. “In all honesty, from the legislation I’m hearing, I truly believe that at some point the state will move to all mail voting. That may be down the road a bit, but more and more people are utilizing it.”
Edwards has projected that providing two vote centers and drive-up drop boxes will reduce the county’s Election Day costs for extra help, overtime, licensing, supplies, inspectors, and maintenance labor from $26,598 to $11,032, with ongoing savings of about $19,000 annually.
“The new way of holding elections has many benefits for voters; first, and foremost, is the ease of access to voting,” Edwards said. “Voters decide when, where, and how they vote, and the timeframe within which voters may vote has been significantly expanded.”