OC registrar opens ballot facility to build voter confidence

Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page opened the county's ballot processing facility in Santa Ana to officials and media Thursday, demonstrating GPS-tracked transportation and signature verification procedures with Election Day less than a week away.

The open-door review comes as voter confidence in election integrity draws national attention; county officials say Orange County's procedures — from monitored transport to document verification — serve as a model for election offices across the country.

Page said paper ballots cast at vote centers that have been open since Saturday, May 23, are returned to the facility for processing. Transporting those ballots involves continuous monitoring: "The team that's managing them is watching GPS locations, they've got radios," Page said, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Officials also flagged an unusual processing challenge this cycle: the ballot measures 17 inches — roughly three inches longer than a standard ballot — because of the expanded field of candidates running for governor. The added length has complicated machine handling at the facility. "Because of the 17-inch ballot, and people not folding it the way it was sent to them, we are finding that some ballots may be sliced by the extracting machine, so we're making sure there's no damage at this step," Page said.

Election Assistance Commission Commissioner Christy McCormick attended the tour and called the county's operations a national benchmark. "Understanding how the process works goes a long way towards supporting voter confidence in our election outcomes," McCormick said. She added that the county "is consistently at the forefront for ideas, innovation and excellence, and constantly works to improve election procedures and processes," according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer issued a direct warning to anyone considering election fraud. "If you cheat, we're going to catch you," Spitzer said. His office has filed four voter fraud or electioneering cases over the past eight years, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen described steps taken to ensure displaced residents could vote. "Working with the county EOC and the Registrar of Voters, we made sure that those individuals have access to their ballots, and we brought them to them at the shelters," Nguyen said, referring to Garden Grove evacuees housed at emergency shelters.

Residents who observe suspicious election activity can report tips to the Orange County District Attorney's office at (714) 721-7578.