San Mateo County Elections Office
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| San Mateo County Elections Office | |
|---|---|
| Name | San Mateo County Elections Office |
| Jurisdiction | San Mateo County, California |
| Headquarters | Redwood City, California |
| Formed | 1856 |
| Chief1 name | County Clerk-Registrar |
| Chief1 position | County clerk |
San Mateo County Elections Office is the county-level agency responsible for administering elections within San Mateo County, California. It conducts federal, state, and local elections, manages voter registration lists, coordinates with state agencies, and implements ballot counting and certification procedures. The office interfaces with precinct officials, municipal clerks, county supervisors, and statewide entities to ensure compliance with California election laws and procedures.
Overview
The office operates within San Mateo County, California and collaborates with the California Secretary of State, the Board of Supervisors (San Mateo County), and municipal clerks from cities such as Daly City, San Mateo, California, Redwood City, California, South San Francisco, California, and Pacifica, California. It administers elections for offices including the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate, the President of the United States, the California State Assembly, the California State Senate, and local measures overseen by entities like the San Mateo County Community College District and the San Mateo-Foster City School District. The office implements voting programs in partnership with organizations such as the League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the California Voter Foundation.
History
Election administration in the county traces to the mid-19th century when San Mateo County, California was formed amid California's early statehood era and after events like the California Gold Rush. Over time, the office adapted to legal changes from the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and decisions from courts including the Supreme Court of the United States. The office has implemented changes following statewide initiatives such as Proposition 14 (2010), Proposition 11 (2008), and legislative acts from the California State Legislature. It responded to technological shifts influenced by manufacturers like Diebold Election Systems and reforms advocated by groups including the Brennan Center for Justice and Common Cause.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
Leadership typically includes a County Clerk-Registrar who reports to the Board of Supervisors (San Mateo County). The office collaborates with elected officials and appointed administrators from entities such as the San Mateo County Controller and the San Mateo County Counsel. Key operational staff interact with municipal clerks in cities like Belmont, California, Brisbane, California, Burlingame, California, Half Moon Bay, California, and Menlo Park, California. The office engages legal advisers familiar with precedent from the California Supreme Court and policies from the California Secretary of State. It coordinates poll worker recruitment with community organizations such as the Rotary International chapters, Kiwanis International, and civic groups including the San Mateo County Historical Association.
Election Administration and Services
The office administers vote-by-mail ballots, in-person voting centers, provisional balloting, and absentee voting services, interfacing with postal services like the United States Postal Service and election vendors such as Hart InterCivic and Election Systems & Software. It manages ballot design for contests involving offices like Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo judges and measures for districts such as the San Mateo County Harbor District and the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans). Services include candidate filing, ballot certification, precinct mapping that references United States Census Bureau data, and coordination with law enforcement agencies including the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office for chain-of-custody security.
Voter Registration and Outreach
The office runs voter registration drives in coordination with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, community partners such as El Centro de Libertad (formerly La Raza Community Resource Center), student organizations at San Mateo County Community College District campuses including Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College, and advocacy groups like League of Women Voters of San Mateo County. Outreach targets multilingual communities with materials in languages spoken by residents from areas represented by San Mateo County Board of Supervisors districts and works with organizations such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund to increase participation.
Election Technology and Security
The office deploys voting equipment certified under standards from the Federal Election Commission and the California Secretary of State. It has transitioned through systems from vendors like Sequoia Voting Systems and Diebold Election Systems to modern solutions from providers such as Dominion Voting Systems and Hart InterCivic while complying with guidelines influenced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and cybersecurity frameworks from Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The office engages with academic researchers at institutions like Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and University of California, Berkeley for audits and risk-limiting audits modeled on methods developed by experts including those at the Berkman Klein Center and MIT Election Data and Science Lab.
Notable Elections and Controversies
Contests administered by the office have included high-profile local ballot measures affecting entities such as the San Mateo County Transit District, the San Mateo County Office of Education, and tax measures linked to propositions like Proposition 13 (1978)-related debates. The office has navigated controversies similar to those seen nationwide involving ballot chain-of-custody, recounts influenced by state law, and legal challenges referencing the California Elections Code. It has responded to litigation and inquiries involving stakeholders such as political parties including the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States), advocacy groups like the ACLU, and media outlets including the San Francisco Chronicle, Mercury News (Bay Area) and local broadcasters.