Contra Costa County will randomly pick precincts for a hand-count ballot audit at a public drawing Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Martinez.
The drawing is set for 9 a.m. at the Elections Division Office, 555 Escobar St., according to a public notice from the county. Anyone can attend, including Walnut Creek voters. Visitors are asked to check in at the Elections lobby.
The drawing selects precincts for the county’s post-election manual tally. The California secretary of state describes the process as a hand count in 1% of randomly selected precincts, with additional sampling to ensure all contests are checked. Officials compare the hand count with voting-system results to check their accuracy.
California Elections Code Section 15360 requires the tally during the official canvass of elections using voting systems. The retrieval, hand counting and verification take place throughout the canvassing period, when the county finalizes official results.
Kristin B. Connelly, the county’s clerk-recorder and registrar of voters, issued the notice Oct. 27. Dawn Kruger, the county’s community and media relations coordinator, is listed as the contact.
The drawing follows a dispute between the county and the federal Department of Justice. Local News Matters reported that the DOJ demanded records concerning 407 voters and sought to prevent associated votes from being counted pending further notice.
The county refused to disclose the requested personal information. County counsel Thomas Geiger wrote that “it would be unlawful and a breach of the voters’ trust,” the outlet reported.
Connelly told Local News Matters that the controversy had raised concerns among voters about election security. Her office was hiring private security for election buildings throughout the election process, according to the report.
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, whose district includes Walnut Creek, said in an Oct. 23 statement that he was “deeply concerned by the escalating weaponization of the Justice Department to interfere with the November 3rd election.”
The manual tally is a routine legal requirement, separate from the DOJ dispute.
Residents can observe the drawing at 555 Escobar St. in Martinez at 9 a.m. Wednesday. For information, call 925-335-7800.
