Windsor voters invited to attend educational webinars on Voter’s Choice Act election model

CORRECTION: The webinar focused on voters with disabilities that was scheduled to take place on March 15 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. has been rescheduled due to technical issues. It is now scheduled for March 21 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The date, time, webinar ID, passcode, and URL have all been updated below as well.

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office announced today two voter education webinars to be held this month via Zoom concerning the Voter’s Choice Act election model going into effect in Sonoma County this year.

The webinars are open to everyone but are primarily geared toward voters residing in the Town of Windsor, where a special election will be taking place on April 12 to fill a Town Council vacancy. This will be the first election conducted in Sonoma County under the Voter's Choice Act model.

The first webinar will focus on issues of concern to voters with limited English proficiency while the second will emphasize issues of concern to voters with disabilities. The dates and times of the webinars are listed below. To join a webinar, go to the link provided and, if necessary, enter the appropriate webinar ID and passcode.

Webinar focusing on issues of concern to voters with limited English proficiency
March 17, 2022 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Webinar ID: 985 3936 6226
Passcode: 674334
https://sonomacounty.zoom.us/j/98539366226?‌pwd=eDlBckpjTndwdWxhNkNUMlBSTURQZz09

This webinar will provide an overview of the Voter's Choice Act voting model and how it impacts voters. There also will be an opportunity to ask questions regarding the Voter's Choice Act model and language assistance provided at vote centers.

Webinar addressing issues of concern to voters with disabilities
March 21, 2022 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Webinar ID: 918 9549 9458
Passcode: 452566
https://sonomacounty.zoom.us/j/91895499458? ‌pwd=NGNpQStOSlNBL096S0RCRm1pTFlrUT09

This webinar will provide an overview of the Voter's Choice Act voting model and how it impacts voters. There also will be an opportunity to ask questions regarding the Voter's Choice Act model and accessibility options for voting, whether by mail or at vote centers.

Background

Nearly a year ago, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to move Sonoma County from a traditional precinct polling place election model to the Voter's Choice Act model. The California Secretary of State’s Office gave its final approval to the county’s plan in December.

Approved by the California Legislature in 2016 and established by SB 450, the Voter’s Choice Act expands voters’ options for how, when and where they cast their ballots. As a Voter's Choice Act county, Sonoma County will be required to do the following:

• Mail every active, registered voter a ballot for each election in which they are eligible to participate. (Due to the passage of Assembly Bill 37 last fall, this is now a requirement for all California counties, not just Voter's Choice Act counties.)
• Offer a combination of official ballot drop boxes and vote centers instead of polling places. Vote centers offer several major advantages over polling places:
  • Vote centers are open multiple days, not just Election Day.
  •  Properly registered voters in Sonoma County can cast a regular ballot at whichever vote center is most convenient for them; they do not have to go to a single preassigned location.
  • Vote centers will provide voters services including conditional (i.e., same day) voter registration, change of address, language assistance, and accessible ballot marking devices for voters with disabilities.

For more information about the upcoming Zoom webinars or other questions about elections in Sonoma County, please call (707) 565-6800, email rov-info@sonoma-county.org, or visit the Registrar of Voters Office in person at 435 Fiscal Drive, Santa Rosa. The office is open regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays). 

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