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June 1, 2009

June 1, 2009 Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI):

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. It is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA).

The goal of WHTI is to facilitate entry for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors, while strengthening U.S. border security. Standard documents will enable the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably identify a traveler.

WHTI will go into effect June 1, 2009 for land and sea travel into the U.S. WHTI went into effect for air travelers on January 23, 2007.

1 junio 2009 El Programa de Viajes dentro del Hemisfero Occidental:

El Programa de Viajes dentro del Hemisferio Occidental es producto de la Ley de Reformas de Inteligencia y Prevención del Terrorismo de 2004 (IRTPA), en virtud de la cual se exige a todo viajero presentar un pasaporte o cualquier documento en el que conste su identidad y ciudadanía al entrar a territorio de los Estados Unidos.

El propósito de la iniciativa es facilitar la entrada a los ciudadanos estadounidenses y a los visitantes extranjeros legítimos y, al mismo tiempo, reforzar la seguridad en las fronteras de los Estados Unidos al posibilitar que el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional pueda identificar de manera rápida y confiable a un viajero gracias a la documentación estandarizada. Mas.

March 22, 2009

May 19, 2009 Special Statewide Election:

On February 20th of this year, the third extraordinary session of the State Legislature called for a Special Statewide Election to be held on May 19, 2009. The Ballot for this Election will contain six ballot measures that are designed to complete the budget approved by State lawmakers and Governor Schwarzenegger. The six measures are:
•1A Spending restrictions – This measure would create a rainy day fund in the constitution. Essentially, it would restrict spending in surplus years, saving the money to pay bills in down economic years. The measure also would extend the tax increases.
•1B An amendment to Proposition 98's school funding guarantee would require the state to repay $9.3 billion a year to schools and community colleges over seven years beginning in 2011. The money would make up for funds that would have been required in the last two budget years. This measure will not go into effect unless voters also approve the spending restrictions measure
• 1C Lottery – Voters will be asked to make the California Lottery more flexible – such as allowing prizes to increase – in an effort to make it more lucrative. The plan is to improve its operations so much that the state can borrow $5 billion against future proceeds.
•1D  Early childhood funding – This measure would shift up to $608 million this year and $268 million a year through 2013 from the First 5 children's commission programs (Proposition 10) to general health and human services programs.
•1E Mental health funding – This measure would shift up to $460 million from the fund created by Proposition 63 to mental health screening and treatment programs.
•1F Voters will also consider a measure that would prohibit the California Citizens Compensation Commission from awarding pay raises to lawmakers and other state officials in years in which the state is running a deficit.

The Governor signed the Bill calling for the Election with the understanding that the Counties are to be reimbursed by the State. The Special Statewide Election costs for San Benito County are expected to be approximately $200,000 even after employing innovative cost reduction measures. These measures include:

• Consolidation of election precincts as allowed per Election Code. These precinct consolidations have a direct savings with labor costs, printing and processing costs
• Smaller Sample Ballots will be sent to Permanent and Mail-in Precinct Vote-By-Mail voters that will contain voter information required by the Election Code. Since this is a State Special Statewide Election without any local consolidated elections, the Secretary of State’s Office State Pamphlet that is sent to every registered voter is the principle source of voter information for this election.

March 22, 2009

County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Office and hall of Records Remodel

Tne County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Office and Hall of Records have been undergoing a long needed face lift since November 21, 2008. Existing office furniture will continue to be utilized with the additional matching new office furniture and modular walls. The remodeled required that the asbestos floor tiles be removed in the Clerk-Recorder-Elections office and all lead paint remediated in the hall of Records prior to the application of paint and carpeting instalation. The original expected completion date of March 4, 2009 has been extended to March 31, 2009.

Young Citizen Page

Links to pages for the use of children, parents and teachers to help our next generation of voters learn about government and the democratic process. Click here

View the mock election results for San Benito High School by clicking under "Mock Election Results" on the Mock Election for students of Monterey adn San Benito Counties home page. Register your school to particpate in mock elections, now is the time to teach young children the importance of exercising their right to vote.Click here.

November 20, 2008

UNPRECEDENTED NEARLY 82% FINAL VOTER TURNOUT FOR THE NOVEMBER 4, 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION!

The Official canvass of votes for the November 4, 2008 Presidential Election was completed today, in a record 16 days. California law allows for the canvass of the votes to be completed within 28 days after the election. The canvass consisted of a 100% manual recount of the votes cast on all of the DRE (electronic voting machines) used in the election as well as the state mandated 1% (10% in the case of close races) manual tally of the ballots.  The certified results will be presented to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, November 25th and to the respective governing bodies which had races on this ballot, at the first meeting following the certification.

November 10, 2008

UPDATE ON STEPS TO CERTIFY THE NOVEMBER 4, 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The election night unofficial results are only the first step in a process that will culminate in the certification of the November 4, 2008 Presidential Election within the 28 days allowed by California law. The following is a summary of the steps needed prior to certification of the election by the Registrar of Voters.

The 17,557 ballots tallied since Election Night represents approximately 92% of the final tally assuming an approximate voter turnout of 78% to 82%.

The ballots remaining to be counted are in four categories:

1. Vote-by-Mail ballots that were received by our office after noon on Sunday
   November 2 and prior to 8 PM on Election Day November 4 numbering somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 ballots;
2. Ballots that the optical scan ballot reader selected for further review by human eye numbering approximately 100;
3. Ballots reviewed by poll workers prior to being counted by the optical scan reader that were damaged or on which the voter did not use the correct marking method numbering approximately 50;
4. Provisional ballots each of which needs to be reviewed to determine if it qualifies to be counted numbering approximately 500.

No contest is decided until the results are certified. Every ballot in the second processing cycle will receive the same careful and accurate handling as the ballots that were counted and released on Election Night. San Benito County will update results after Election Night as all ballots are counted. Results will not be official until the canvass or state mandated 1% (10% in the case of close races) manual tally is completed and the results are certified.  The certified results will be presented to the public when completed and to the respective governing bodies at the first meeting following certification. Certification is expected to be completed no later than the week of November 24, 2008.

November 6, 2008

Public Notice: Time for Conducting Canvass

The canvass for the November 4, 2008 Presidential Election shall commence no later than the Thursday following the Election, shall be open to the public, and shall result in a report of results to the Secretary of State. The canvass shall be continued daily, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays excepted for not less than six hours each day until completed, pursuant to E.C. 15301.
The official canvass will occur during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m
Due to the large number of ballots to still count, the Election’s Office for counting purposes may remain open on Veterans Day, November 11, 2008.  Please call the office at (831)636-4016 to confirm.

Public Notice: Time for Conducint Canvass English
Aviso Publico: Tiempo para conducir el escrutinio

November 5, 2008
Delay in Reporting Election Results

Scheduling problems with the electronic tallying machine on Election Day, large turnout and the county's use of just one location to process ballots is the cause for the delay in counting the Vote-By-Mail ballots. The San Benito Superior Court has been very accommodating in providing the Elections department with a courtroom for use in tabulating election results. The San Benito County Elections department is very grateful for the long-standing cooperation and support that we have received from the Superior Court.

November 6, 2008
Up-to-Date Election Results:
We will be posting up-to-date tabulation results daily at approximately 4:30pm, until we have completed tabulating all of the ballots. The Semi-final official results of precinct ballots cast on Election Day totaled 9,804. There are 9,746 Vote-By-Mail ballots and 446 provisional ballots to be processed and tabulated county-wide.

Close of Registration
The last day to register to vote for this election is October 20th. Voter Registration applications are available at the Elections Office, Department of Motor Vehicles, U.S. Post Office or online at www.sbcvote.us.

Vote-By-Mail deadline October 28th
If you are not a Vote-By-Mail voter and wish to have your ballot sent to you for this election, your sample ballot booklet contains a Vote-By-Mail application form on the back cover. You may deliver the form to the Elections Office or send it by mail no later than October 28th. If you wish to be a permanent Vote-By-Mail voter, check the box on the Vote-By-Mail form to select “Permanent Vote-By-Mail Voter”. You will then be entered in the system as a permanent Vote-By-Mail voter and need not apply again.

Emergency Vote-By-Mail
You may also apply for an Emergency Vote-By-Mail ballot from Oct. 29th through November 4th in person by applying at the Elections office located at 440 Fifth Street, Room 206, Hollister, CA 95023. Your ballot will be issued on the spot and may be mailed back or returned in person by November 4th.

Early Voting
The Elections Office will be open for Early Voting on Saturday, October 25th, and Saturday, November 1st, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Precinct Location
If you wish to vote at the polls, refer to your sample ballot booklet for your precinct location, or call the Elections Office at (831) 636-4016.

Poll Worker Recruitment
The excitement of the Presidential Election has brought out many more Election Poll Worker volunteers than usual. My staff and I are very happy with the robust showing; however, we were unable to accommodate all of the volunteers who signed up to help. We have added those volunteers to our Poll Worker Contact List to contact for help in future elections.

Poll Worker Training
Poll Worker Training Classes have been scheduled to be held at the Veteran Memorial Building located at 649 San Benito Street in Hollister. The dates of the training are Tuesday October 28th at 12:30 p.m. through 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday October 29th at 8:30 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. Poll workers must attend one of the two scheduled training times in order to work at the Polls on Election Day. Poll workers will be given a $15 Training Stipend for successful completion of the training.

Supreme Court Ruling on Same Sex Marriages

May 15, 2008 - The California State Supreme Court today held that the California legislative and initiative measures limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples violate the state constitutional rights of same-sex couples and may not be used to preclude same-sex couples from marrying. (In re Marriage Cases, S147999.)

The court concluded that permitting opposite-sex couples to marry while affording same-sex couples access only to the novel and less-recognized status of domemstic partnership improperly infringles a same-sex couple's constitutional rights to marry and to the equal protection of the laws as guaranteed by California Constituion. The decision directs state officals who supervise the enforcement of the state's marriage laws to ensure that local officials comply with the court's ruling and permit same-sex couple to marry. The decision becomes final in 30 days unless that period is extended by court order.

Our office is not authorized to issue marriage licenses or to perform civil marrage ceremonies for same-sex couples at this time. Read the complete court 172-page ruling by clicking here. Read the Press Release from Joe Paul Gonzalez, click here.

Candidate 2008 460 Forms

April 2008 - Candidates for the June 3, 2008 Primary Election must file FPPC Form 460. The current candidates forms have been uploaded to our website. Click here to view.

Travelers Reminded Of New Document Requirements Beginning January 31, 2008

January 2008 - Documents Proving Citizenship and Identity Will be Required When Entering The United States Through Land and Sea Ports of Entry
The following is a joint release by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:
The U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remind the traveling public that as of Jan. 31, 2008, all adult travelers will be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, and proof of identity, such as a driver’s license, when entering the United States through land and sea ports of entry. DHS will be issuing a notice in the Federal Register formally announcing the change.
This change is a necessary step to prepare travelers and ease the transition to the future requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). WHTI proposes to establish documentation requirements for travelers entering the United States who were previously exempt, including citizens of the U.S., Canada, and Bermuda. As recommended by the 9/11 Commission, Congress enacted WHTI in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. WHTI will result in both enhanced security and increased facilitation across the border once implemented. During this transition, DHS and the Department of State are working diligently to minimize the impact on legitimate trade and travel.
Currently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers may accept oral declarations of citizenship from U.S. and Canadian citizens seeking entry into the United States through a land or sea border. However, as of January 31, 2008:
· Oral declarations of citizenship alone will no longer be accepted.
· U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older will need to present a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate.
· Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.
· Passports and trusted traveler program cards - NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST - will continue to be accepted for cross-border travel.
All existing nonimmigrant visa and passport requirements will remain in effect and will not be altered by this change.
The Department reminds the public that the current turnaround time for a passport is four to six weeks, so Americans planning international travel may wish to apply now. For information on obtaining a U.S. Passport visit travel.state.gov/passport. Specific documentation requirements for land, sea and air travel may be found at www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/. To learn more about NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST, visit www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/.

November 2007

Trend of Vote by Mail: The trend of Vote-By-Mail voting has steadily increased as a percentage of overall voting during the last few years; the November 6, 2007 City of Hollister Measure T election was a significant milestone. This election is notable as the first election in the City to have more Vote-by-Mail votes cast than votes cast at the election polling places.

Noteable First: Another notable first was that only three votes were cast on the County owned Sequoia Edge II electronic voting machines. This was not entirely unexpected; however, in light of the new Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, decertification order of most California Counties electronic voting systems for the February 2008 Presidential election. All of the California counties electronic voting systems had previously received federal and state certifications and were used in several elections with not a single vote reported as incorrectly counted. But the negative publicity surrounding the reliability of the security of the electronic voting systems irreparably damaged voter confidence in these systems. With the future of electronic voting systems in question; the paper ballot will once again be the predominant voting media. This does not mean that the “punch card” systems that this County used for many years will be used again.

"Punch Card" Paper Ballot System: The “punch card” paper ballot systems were federally decertified after the controversial November 2000 Presidential election and are illegal for use in all federal, state and local elections.  Instead, the optical scan paper ballots currently in use will be used for both “Vote-By-Mail” and Election Day polling place voting.

August 2007

Secretary of State Decertifies Electronic Voting Machines : On August 3, 2007, the Secretary of State announced the decertification of automated ballot machines made by Sequoia Systems, used in San Benito County. Deborah Bowen has decertified electronic voting machines -- except one per polling place for the disabled.

California Battot Initiatives Database: University of California Hastings College of the Law maintains a comprehensive, searchable database of information on California ballot initiatives from 1911 to the present. The database contains the full text of the initiatives, accompanying material relating to their filing & qualification, related legal and legislative history, and digital images of pertinent documents. To go to the California Ballot Initiatives Database, click here.

California Ballot Propositions Database: University of California Hastings College of the Law also maintains a comprehensive, searchable database of California ballot measures from 1911 to the present. The Hastings site also offers PDF versions of ballot pamphlets from 1911 to the present. To go to the California Ballot Propositions Database, click here.