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Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley Releases Message to Voters Regarding COVID-19 and Ballot Security

Orange County, CA Chief Election official provides an important message to Orange County voters on voting under COVID-19

SANTA ANA, CA – September 21, 2020 – Neal Kelley, Orange County, CA Registrar of Voters, has released an important message for all Orange County voters. 

This message includes information on in-person voting options under COVID-19, election security, and our operational plans with the United States Postal Service. 

You can access the video message on the Registrar of Voters’ YouTube channel.

The full transcript of the message is included below.

Orange County, CA Elections Offers Media Preview of Vote Center Voting at Honda Center

Media preview on Wednesday, September 16, 2020 – The public-private partnership between the Registrar of Voters, Anaheim Ducks, and Honda Center will allow voters to cast their ballot at an iconic Orange County site.

SANTA ANA, CA – September 14, 2020 – A media preview is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. to showcase how the "Super Vote Center Site" will work at Orange County's Honda Center. The Registrar of Voters is excited to announce a new partnership with the Honda Center and the Anaheim Ducks organization to expand access to voting in the upcoming November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election. For the first time in history, Honda Center will serve as a Vote Center, which will provide a full-service voting experience to Orange County voters.  

Extension of Candidate Filing Period for the 2020 Presidential General Election

When incumbents do not file for re-election, the candidate filing period is extended.

SANTA ANA, CA - The Registrar of Voters announced today that the nomination period has been extended until 5:00 p.m. on August 12, 2020 for the office(s) listed below because the incumbent(s) failed to file Nomination Papers by the August 7, 2020 deadline.

Any qualified person, other than the incumbent, can now file the Nomination Papers until 5:00 p.m. on August 12, 2020 in the office of the Registrar of Voters, 1300 South Grand Avenue, Building C, Santa Ana, California. 

Business hours are:
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Orange County’s Vote Center Lab: Ideal Test Environment for Safe Voting

The first of its kind in the United States, the Vote Center Lab will support voting and voter education for the November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election and beyond.

SANTA ANA, CA – July 30, 2020 – The Registrar of Voters is announcing the opening of its 1,125 square foot Vote Center Lab. As a fully functional, permanent replica of an in-person voting location, the Vote Center Lab was built to serve multiple purposes, such as testing processes and procedures, training election staff, educating the general public, and supporting research efforts in a controlled environment.

Orange County, CA Elections Releases Report on Election Planning under COVID-19

As a result of COVID-19, all election operations and voter outreach have been evaluated and modifications have been made for public health and safety.

SANTA ANA, CA –  July 28, 2020 – In consideration of the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Registrar of Voters has released a report on what changes and procedures will be implemented for the November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election. These changes will be put in place as a result of COVID-19 so that in-person voting can be conducted safely and securely. California law requires that in-person voting be provided for the Presidential General Election.

Orange County Candidates Strongly Encouraged to File Online

Filing online will allow candidates to stay safe and healthy - candidate filing will begin Monday, July 13, 2020.

SANTA ANA, CA – June 25, 2020 – In preparation for candidate filing under COVID-19 restrictions, the Orange County Registrar of Voters is encouraging electronic filing options for candidates who wish to run for office in the November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election. Candidate filing begins on Monday, July 13, 2020 at 8:00 am and concludes on August 7, 2020 at 5:00 pm.

City of Westminster Special Recall Election Recount Ends with No Changes

No change in original certification as recount officially ends

May 29, 2020 - SANTA ANA - The recount of the ballots cast in the City of Westminster Special Recall Election has concluded with no change to the original outcome. The recount began Tuesday, April 28, 2020 and concluded Friday, May 29, 2020.

During the recount every ballot was manually recounted (17,205) in 30 precincts and election materials were reviewed by the recount requestor. There were no changes to the vote totals - pursuant to California Elections Code §15632 the original certification of the ballots cast remains as the official certification.

Orange County, CA Elections to Conduct Risk Limiting Audit of City of Santa Ana Special Recall Election Results

Additional auditing of ballots will be conducted to provide strong statistical evidence that the election outcome is correct.

SANTA ANA, CA –  Orange County will conduct a risk-limiting audit beginning Wednesday, May 27, 2020. 

The risk-limiting audit is a procedure that provides strong statistical evidence that the election outcome is correct, or has a high probability of correcting an outcome that wouldn't match a full hand count of the ballots. The audit itself requires human beings to examine and verify more ballots in close contests and fewer ballots in contests with wider margins.

Quote by Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley

Orange County Voting Systems to be Checked for Accuracy

Test to take place in preparation for May 19, 2020 City of Santa Ana Special Recall Election

SANTA ANA, CA - April 29, 2020 - Accuracy testing of Orange County's voting system will take place Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. for the May 19, 2020, City of Santa Ana Special Recall Election. The Logic and Accuracy test is required by law to be performed prior to each election. Logic and Accuracy tests will include proofing the programming of the ballot, each ballot style and each contest position on the ballot. Due to the response of the COVID-19 pandemic, the building is closed to the public.