“Mike Barbanica is a no-nonsense leader…” – Steve Glazer

ANTIOCH, CA—Local small businessman, housing expert and Antioch Councilman Mike Barbanica announced receiving the endorsement of California State Senator Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) in his race for Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors in District 5. Senator Glazer, who represents Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, is recognized for his independence and problem-solving abilities.

“Mike Barbanica is a no-nonsense leader with the skills and expertise to effectively impact the issues facing us in Contra Costa County,” said Senator Glazer. “Mike shares my belief that politics is about service and progress, and I’m confident he’ll bring a sense of civility and respect for diverging opinions that we need more of in elected office.”

“Senator Glazer is an icon of principled leadership, someone who believes in prioritizing results over rhetoric and people over politics,” said Barbanica. “That approach can help us improve our homeless, housing, and crime issues, and that will be my approach on the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors.”

Barbanica and his wife, Kristine, operate a small business, Blue Line Property Group, helping families access housing. Mike is a retired Police Lieutenant and decorated officer who served for over 20 years.

Barbanica is running for the open seat in Contra Costa’s District 5, which cover the northern portions of Contra Costa, running from Hercules to Antioch, and includes Martinez and Pittsburg.

For more information visit www.mikebarbanica.com.

5,300 ballots remaining to be counted in the county

By Allen D. Payton

In the race for Contra Costa County District 5 Supervisor Antioch Councilman Mike Barbanica leads in votes over Pittsburg Councilwoman Shanelle Scales-Preston who placed a second in last Tuesday’s primary election. But she leads in campaign finances, having raised about $114,500 while Barbanica had raised close to $100,500.

In a distant third place is Pittsburg Vice Mayor Jelani Killings in both votes and campaign finances, having raised close to $18,000 and fourth-place finisher in both votes and finances is Iztaccuauhtli “White Eagle” Hector Gonzalez who raised almost $10,200 all in loans from himself.

As of  the latest update from the Contra Costa Elections Office today, Wednesday, March 13 at 2:50 PM, Barbanica has 14,080 votes or 38.59% of the vote to 12,834 votes for Scales-Preston or 35.18%. Killings has 5,597 votes or 15.34% and Gonzalez has 3,973 votes or 10.89% of the vote.

On Monday, Barbanica posted a thank you message on his campaign Facebook page writing:

“Dear Friends and Supporters,

The results are in, and it’s official: we’re advancing through the primary elections for District 5 of the Board of Supervisors! With a grateful heart, I extend my deepest thanks to each and every one of you who cast your vote, shared your voice, and believed in our vision for a safer, stronger community.

Your support has been the driving force of this campaign. To the countless volunteers, the dedicated team members, and especially to the voters who took a stand for our shared values—thank you. This triumph is yours as much as it is ours.

A special acknowledgment to the elected officials who have endorsed our cause; your faith in our mission fortifies our resolve. I’m also incredibly thankful for the endorsements and unwavering support from esteemed organizations such as Thousand Friends of Martinez, PORAC, CCDSA, and the Police Officers Associations of Martinez, Richmond, Concord, Pittsburg, San Mateo County, and Clayton. The backing of the Local 326 United Steel Workers has been nothing short of inspiring.

As we gear up for the next phase of this journey, let’s remember that this is more than a campaign; it’s a collective effort to nurture the well-being and prosperity of Contra Costa County. We’re in this together, and together, we will make a difference.

Warm regards,

Mike Barbanica”

When reached for comment he said, “I’m absolutely honored for the support from our community and I look forward to continuing to move towards the general election and change coming to the District 5 office, later this year, in December. For the last 24 years this office has been represented by someone from Pittsburg and it would be nice to see change coming to the office, from someone such as myself who has Pittsburg connections, Antioch connections and connections to the rest of the district.”

“I spent 21 years as a Pittsburg Police officer, retiring as a lieutenant, and my wife was born and raised in Pittsburg. So, we have a lot of ties, there,” Barbanica added.

Attempts to reach Scales-Preston for a comment were unsuccessful prior to publication. However, on Saturday, she posted the following comment on her campaign Facebook page: “thank you for all your support! There are many votes left to count, but we remain in the top two and are confident we will advance to November. This is due to your support and all that you did to advance our campaign.”

Campaign Finance Comparison

According to the required campaign finance disclosure reports known as Forms 460 and 497 posted on the Contra Costa Elections Public Portal, as of March 6, 2024, Scales-Preston had raised $114,514 and as of Feb. 29 her campaign had spent $105,029.33, with $5,036.13 in outstanding debts and $8,596.22 cash on hand.

As of March 6, 2024, Barbanica’s reports show he had raised $100,452.65 and as of Feb. 29, his campaign had spent $93,384.62 with $58,817.66 in outstanding debts and $24,229.52 cash on hand.

As of Feb. 29, Killings’ reports show he had raised $17,773 and spent $19,769.39. He ended his campaign with $2,515.54 in outstanding debts and $3,185.26 cash on hand.

As of the same date, Gonzalez’s reports show he loaned his campaign $10,197.13, didn’t raise any other funds and spent $8,576.42. He ended his campaign with outstanding debts of $10,197.13 and 1,620.71 cash on hand.

Both Scales-Preston received $5,000 from the Building Industry Association of the Bay Area’s Build Jobs PAC and both she and Killings received contributions from former Antioch resident Keith Archuleta.

Scales-Preston Supported by PACS, Politicians & Unions

Scales-Preston received most of her campaign funds from union political action committees and local politicians. Her largest contributions were as follows:

$5,000 each from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 302 Community Candidates PAC of Martinez; IBEW PAC Educational Fund in Washington, DC; Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 104 Poltical Committee; United Association No. 159 Consumer Protection Fund Sponsored by Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 159 of Martinez; American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees Council 57 PAC, and International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers Local 549 PAC, and Build Jobs PAC, ID #761102 Sponsored by Building Industry Association of the Bay Area;

$2,500 each from Dignity CA SEIU Local 2015; Karen Grove Menlo Park, retired; former political consultant Melody Howe Weintraub of Lafayette, Progressive Era PAC (ID# 1449477) which, according to its website, “exists to elect governing majorities of leaders in California committed to building a progressive era for people of color”; homemaker Faye M. Stratus and a separate contribution from Sandor H. Stratus, retired, both of Lafayette; Victor Baker of Martinez, owner of Equitify a diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm; Sikh Society of Central Contra Costa County; Lift Up Contra Costa Action which, according to its website, “fights against all forms of oppression, including anti-black racism, racism, anti-immigrant, anti-LBGTQ, environmental & healthcare injustice and the classist, anti-worker movements”, a Project of Tides Advocacy PAC, which, according to its website, is “deeply committed to advancing social justice”; District 1 Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, Laborers International Union of North America Local No. 324, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council Small Contributor Committee, and Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Candidate PAC;

$2,000 from garbage company Republic Services Inc., and affiliated entities;

$1,400 from Kanwar Singh of Pittsburg, a Sequence Read Archive Explorer for the Joint Genome Institute;

$1,000 from David Bowlby of Danville, public affairs consultant of The David Bowlby Group; East Bay Regional Parks Director Colin Coffey of Hercules; Daniel Madigan of Walnut Creek, not employed; Debbie Toth of Fairfield, Director of the nonprofit Choice in Aging; DRIVE Committee (International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Democrat, Republican, Independent Voter Education) in Washington, DC; East Bay Trans, Inc. trucking company of Concord, Haver Trans, Inc. dump trucking company of Concord, Jasmine Tarkoff of Lafayette, retired; and Lupe Schoenberger of Alamo, listed as not employed but her LinkedIn profile shows she is Congressman Mark DeSaulnier’s political director and Principal of Acceso Government Relations, LLC described as “Facilitating cannabis business licensing and local government relations;” and Latika Malkani of

Orinda, Attorney for employment law firm Siegel LeWitter Malkani;

$700 from Leonard Ramirez of Concord, retired;

$600 each from Contra Costa DA Diana Becton; Paramjit Virk of Antioch, a Registered Nurse at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center; Contra Costa County Democratic Central Committee Chair Katie Ricklefs of Lafayette, listed as retired, and Kathleen Petricca of Martinez, retired;

$500 each from Berkeley school teacher Cathy Campbell of El Cerrito; John Cumbers of Lafayette, Chief Executive Officer for SynBioBeta; Friends of Gina Daly for Board of Education Trustee Area 1 2024 in Oakland (former San Rafael school board member who resigned in December after the contribution was made); Carol Hatch of Martinez, retired; insurance broker Gregory Osorio of Pittsburg, consultant Keith Archuleta of Chapel Hill, NC (a former Antioch resident); Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West PAC, Kathy Braun of Martinez, retired; G R Beverages, Inc. of Antioch, United Teachers of Richmond, Cynthia Miller of Martinez, Owner of George & Cynthia Miller Wellness Center (wife of former congressman), Willie Mims of Pittsburg, Mariana Moore of Benicia, Program Manager for Richmond Community Foundation, Leslie Shafton of Walnut Creek, Realtor, Dudum Real Estate Group, Teamsters Local Union No. 315,

$460 from Mt. Diablo Unified School Board Trustee Cherise Khaund of Walnut Creek, listed as a nonprofit manager;

$400 from Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey;

$350 each from Jim Craft of Pittsburg, as an in-kind contribution for use of a venue for a fundraiser; and Caitlin E. Sly of Walnut Creek, Executive Director for Meals on Wheels Diablo Region;

$300 from former City of Antioch Public Information Officer Rolando Bonilla of San Jose; El Cerrito Councilman Gabriel Quinto, Susan Mautner of Orinda, not employed; Charles Glasper of Antioch, retired, who  contributed on Jan. 11, 2024 and then served as the MC and asked the questions during the NAACP Candidates Night in Antioch on Feb. 22;

$260 from Mt. Diablo Unified School District Trustee Cherise Khaund of Walnut Creek;

$250 each from DLC Group Inc. of Pleasant Hill owned by a Dalton Chow, Walnut Creek Mayor Pro Tem Loella Haskew, Benjamin Miller of Arlington, VA, Principal, Kadesh & Associates a bipartisan federal advocacy firm; Patricia Reyes of San Ramon, Consultant for Strategic Prevention Solutions; Valerie Sloven of Pleasant Hill, Case Manager for Heluna Health, Carol Toms of Concord, Information Technology Professional for Albertsons; Contra Costa County School Board Trustee Sarah Butler of Orinda; Baljit Bhandal of Pittsburg, General Manager for The Wine Village, Inc.; Bombay Trading Company of Concord, Contra Costa County Public Defenders Association, State Farm Insurance agent Tim McGallian of Clayton, Tara Sanders of Pittsburg, Program Manager – Workforce & Economic Development for the Contra Costa Community College District; Tracy Brog of Lafayette, retired; Martinez City Councilman Jay Howard’s 2022 campaign committee, Mike McCoy of Danville, Billboard Developer for Mesa Outdoor, and Janitzia Rodriguez of Pittsburg, Mental Health Clinician for Contra Costa County.

Although not large contributions, Scales-Preston also received $200 from Adrienne Ursino of Martinez, Director of Stakeholder Engagement for the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and former Antioch School Board Trustee Debra Vinson, $150 from Pittsburg Mayor Juan Banales, Hercules City Councilwoman Christine Kelley, former Pittsburg Councilwoman Nancy L. Parent, and former Clayton Councilwoman Tuija Catalano, as well as $100 each from Concord Councilman Edi Birsan, former Orinda Councilwoman Amy Worth, former Walnut Creek Councilwoman Gail Murray, and the Marsh Creek Democratic Club.

Barbanica Backed by the Badge, Builders & Business

Barbanica’s largest contributions were from law enforcement, the building industry and local businesses. They include the following:

$10,000 from the Contra Costa County Deputy Sheriff’s Association PAC Small Contributor Committee with $5,000 for the primary and the other $5,000 for the general election;

$5,000 each from Bryan Benton of Antioch, owner of Da Nang Turang restaurant and Build Jobs PAC, ID #761102 Sponsored by Building Industry Association of the Bay Area;

$2,500 each from Peace Officers Research Association of California PAC (PORAC PAC) Small Contributor Committee, Sheriff David Livingston’s 2028 re-election committee and the Richmond Police Officers Association PAC;

$2,000 each from Kay Ku of Newport Beach, retired; Stacey Romero of Pittsburg, retired; Weston Law Group, PC of Danville; Fernandes Auto Wrecking and Towing of Pittsburg; and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s County Employees’ Benefit Association Local PAC;

$1,500 from Jim Moita of Clayton, owner of property management company JMI Properties Corporation;

$1,000 each from real estate investor Mike Cava of Oakley and Thousand Friends of Martinez;

$500 each from the Concord Police Association PAC; Dennis Costanza of Pittsburg, Director for home builder Lennar; former Pittsburg Mayor, City Clerk and Assistant City Manager Mary Erbez; Brentwood Councilman Tony Oerlemans; Sheila Stokley, of Stokley Properties in Pleasant Hill; and Christopher Thorsen of Walnut Creek, retired; and

$250 each from Assistant District Attorney Mary Knox, Mike McCoy of Danville, Billboard Developer for Mesa Outdoor and Susan Dragon Presser of Pittsburg, retired.

Killings’s Campaign Cash is from Kin, Cops & Others

$2,500 from Denise Killings of Pittsburg, retired;

$1,500 from Henry A. Killings, Pastor of Threshing Floor Tabernacle in Antioch; Leah L. Blackman of Brentwood, Pastor of Faith Worship Center, and William Posada of Antioch, listed as an Independent Distributor but is the Manager with Only Believe Distributor, LLC;

$1,000 from Pittsburg Police Officer’s Association, Efrem R. Finn of Oakland, Operator for Rydetrans bus service; consultant Keith Archuleta of Chapel Hill, NC (former Antioch resident), and a non-monetary, in-kind contribution for fundraising event expenses from Peter Nguyen of Pittsburg, Owner of Fisherman’s Catch;

$600 from Blayne Wittig of Martinez, Executive Director, Options Health;

$500 from Jerry Beverly of Alameda, listed as an Investor/Philanthropist, Losefa Lam Yuen of Pittsburg, who works in Logistics for the Department of Homeland Security, and Paul Loukianoff of San Leandro, who works in construction for Con-Quest Contractors, Inc.,

$450 from Daniel Patton of Oakley, Business Solutions Manager for WK Kellogg Company;

$250 from East County Glass & Window, Inc. in Pittsburg, and Kevin McGary of Hayward, President of Every Black Life Matters; and

$200 from Sarah Jean Killings of Pittsburg.

Ballot counting has continued as mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day, March 5 could be received until yesterday, March 12 and the County Elections Office has 28 days to certify the election.

Asked if there are any remaining ballots to be counted and when the next results update will be, Assistant Registrar Helen Nolan said, “We have about 5,300 ballots left to process as of today” and added the next update will be Friday, March 15 at 4 p.m.

The top two candidates, Barbanica and Scales-Preston will face off in the November general election.

Please check back later for any updates to this report.

Wilson, Mitchoff concede, thank supporters after finishing third, fourth place

“there is no way I’m endorsing Anamarie because I don’t trust her.” – Karen Mitchoff

“Unity doesn’t mean endorsement.” – Anamarie Avila Farias

All 3 trail Republican Sonia Ledo

Avila Farias announces endorsement of Assembly Speaker Rivas

By Allen D. Payton

After placing third and fourth, respectively, in last Tuesday’s election for the 15th Assembly District race, Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and former Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff offered concession messages and thanks to their supporters. But only Wilson offered support for second place finisher and fellow Democrat Contra Costa School Board Trustee Anamaria Avila Farias. Yet, she claimed the three “will move forward with unity.”

The only Republican in the race, Realtor Sonia Ledo is in first place and will face Avila Farias in the general election in November.

While Wilson posted a message on her campaign Facebook page Monday, when asked if she had posted something on social media Mitchoff said, “I sent a letter out to my supporters. But I didn’t post anything.” As of Tuesday afternoon, her campaign Facebook page had been taken down.

Mitchoff Thanks Supporters But Offers No Support for Avila Farias

In her emailed letter sent last Friday, the former supervisor did not offer support for Avila Farias. She wrote, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. While this isn’t the letter I had hoped to send out after the election, I truly appreciate all that you did to support me in my campaign for Assembly.

I don’t regret the decision to enter the race. I believe I brought to voters’ attention the need for independent thinking in Sacramento. With a Republican in the lead in a Democratic-dominated district, I may have succeeded a bit too much!

In all seriousness, I am at peace with the results. The most important message I want to impart to you is how much I appreciate your support, encouragement, and friendship during these last eight months. Anyone who has run for elected office knows these are important ingredients for any campaign, and I am blessed with an abundance of all three. I am indeed a very fortunate woman.

Thank you so much,

Karen Mitchoff”

Wilson Offers Support to Avila Farias

In a post on her campaign’s Facebook page on Monday, March 11, Wilson wrote, “Dear Neighbors:

I want to thank the voters of Assembly District 15 and each and every supporter for your encouragement, donations, and other support.  Your help and generosity means more to me than words can ever express.

Last week’s voter turnout didn’t turn out as we had hoped, but it only shows that the work we must all do together to present a compelling vision for change, is needed more than ever. I’ll continue the fight to empower communities and ensure real community engagement in decision-making, including our collective goals of stronger voter participation at every level.

There is so much more work to do, and we need to do it together.  Today, I am proud of the campaign we ran and look forward to supporting Ana Marie in her race. Please join me in reflecting on the work ahead, and sharing the hope in our hearts as we prepare for our critical national, state and regional races this fall.

Again, thank you!

Monica”

Avila Farias Falsely Claims Unity Among the 3 Democrat Candidates, Announces Endorsement of Assembly Speaker

Then Tuesday afternoon, Contra Costa County School Board Trustee Anamarie Avila Farias who placed second in the race behind Republican Realtor Sonia Ledo posted the following on her campaign Facebook page:

“Exciting News!

I am thrilled to share that, thanks to your unwavering support, I will be advancing to the General Election! My opponents, Karen Mitchoff and Monica Wilson, have gracefully acknowledged the outcome, and together we will move forward with unity to create positive change in Contra Costa County.

This achievement is a testament to the collective effort and support of individuals like you who believe in restoring the California Dream for those in our district and throughout the state. Additionally, I’m honored to have received the endorsement of Speaker of the California Assembly, Robert Rivas. His support further underscores the momentum and unity behind our campaign.

As we celebrate these milestones, I want to express my deepest gratitude for your support. Your belief in my candidacy, your time, and your contributions have been the driving force behind our campaign’s success.

Moving forward, let’s continue to stand together and restore the California Dream. With you, we can take this momentum even further and make a lasting impact on our community.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support has made all the difference. Now, onto the General Election! ¡Adelante con Anamarie! ”

Mitchoff Not Endorsing Avila Farias, Says “I Don’t Trust Her”

However, Mitchoff said she hasn’t endorsed Avila Farias for the general election stating, “I have not spoken to her since the election. She must have seen or heard about my letter.”

About Avila Farias’ claim of moving forward with her in unity, the former supervisor said, “It isn’t that I’m not conceding, which I did in my letter. But there is no way I’m endorsing Anamarie because I don’t trust her. She hasn’t been honest with me about a number of issues, including how she got law enforcement support, specifically the PORAC endorsement.”

Avila Farias Says “Unity Doesn’t Mean Endorsement”

When informed that Mitchoff isn’t endorsing her Avila Farias responded, “Unity doesn’t mean endorsement.” Asked what it does mean, she responded, “Unity of our community.” When informed that Mitchoff said she hasn’t spoken to her since the election and that her comment, “together we will move forward with unit” is in the same sentence in which she mentions the other two Democratic candidates, Avila Farias reiterated her statement.

“Saying we are optimistic about everyone moving forward together in unity that does not mean or imply that I have been endorsed by anyone,” she wrote.

About Mitchoff’s claim of dishonesty and the law enforcement endorsement, Avila Farias responded, “I don’t understand her comment about PORAC. We all went for an interview, and you get a thumbs up or a thumbs down.”

Election Results

According to the California Secretary of State’s website, the unofficial election results with 393 of 393 precincts partially reporting as of March 12, 2024 at 4:25 p.m., Ledo has 24,743 votes or 32.2% of the vote followed by Avila Farias with 23,237 or 30.2%, they’re followed by Wilson with 19,229 votes or 25.0% and Mitchoff is in fourth with 9,662 votes or 12.6% of the vote.

Mail-in ballots postmarked by election day could still be received by the County Elections Office through today and the state website shows, “Results will be certified by April 12, 2024.”

The top two candidates, Ledo and Avila Farias, will face off in the general election on November 5.

 

Incumbents lead in races for Congress, other Assembly districts

Berkeley Mayor, Oakland Councilman lead in West County State Senate race; former West Sacramento Mayor and Dixon Councilman lead in East County State Senate race

All four local measures passing

By Allen D. Payton

With the top two candidates heading to the November general election, the initial, unofficial, election results posted at 8:15 PM, 9:35 PM and 10:31 PM on the Contra Costa County Elections website for contested races with more than two candidates show the following:

In the 15th Assembly District race Democrat County School Board Trustee Anamarie Avila Farias and Republican Realtor Sonia Ledo are leading the other two Democrats in the race, Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Monica Wilson and former County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff who is in a distant fourth. As of the 10:31 PM update, Ledo had pulled within 99 votes of Avila Farias with  just 0.2 percent of the vote separating the two.

When reached for comment Ledo said, “I’m honored that the voters have placed their trust in me for positive change in California. I think this is proof the candidates can run on their merits and the two candidates who ran the most positive race came out on top. Congratulations to Anamarie. I’m hopeful that the numbers we see will hold as we are uncertain at this time how many precincts have been counted.”

11:31 PM UPDATE: Ledo moved into the lead ahead of Avila Farias following the latest update from the Contra Costa Elections office. Ledo had 17,303 votes or 32.98% and Avila Farias had 15,877 votes or 30.26% of the vote.

In the 5th Supervisorial District race Antioch Councilman Mike Barbanica and Pittsburg Councilwoman Shanelle Scales-Preston are leading Pittsburg Vice Mayor Jelani Killings, followed by Realtor Iztaccuauhtli “White Eagle” Hector M. Gonzalez.

In the 14th Assembly District race which includes West County communities, Democrat incumbent Buffy Wicks and Democrat challenger Margot Smith lead their Republican opponent and in the 11th Assembly District race which includes Far East County communities, Democrat incumbent Lori Wilson and Republican challenger Dave Ennis leader their opponents.

In the 10th Congressional District, Democrat incumbent Mark DeSaulnier and Republican challenger Katherine Piccinini lead their opponents and in the race for the 9th Congressional District, which includes Discovery Bay, Democrat incumbent Josh Harder and Republican Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln lead their opponents.

In the 3rd State Senate District race, which includes Far East County communities, Democrat former West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon and Republican Dixon City Councilman Thomas Bogue are in the lead over their rivals.

In the 7th State Senate District race, which includes West County communities, Democrat Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín and Democrat Oakland Councilman Dan Kalb lead their rivals.

All Local Measures Passing as of the 10:31 PM Update

Measure A in Martinez, which changes the City Clerk from an elected to appointed position was passing 67.08 to 32.92 percent of the vote. The measure requires a simple majority to pass.

The Antioch Unified School District’s Measure B bond measure for school improvements was passing 56.83 to 42.6 percent and requires a vote of at least 55% to pass.

Measure C in the Martinez Unified School District, which renews the $75 annual parcel tax for eight years and requires a 2/3rds vote to pass, had more than enough with 72.94 percent of the vote in favor and 27.06% of the vote opposed.

Finally, the Moraga School District Measure D bond, also requiring a 55% vote to pass, had 65.91% support and 34.09% of the vote opposing.

Please check back later for more election updates on this website.

From Bay Area Election Officials

After Election Day, it takes time for County Elections Officials to count all the votes and make sure that all the votes have been counted. Counties have 28 days to complete the official canvass of an election.  There are many steps that must be completed to ensure the integrity of the election, and in its essence, the purpose of the canvass accomplishes the following critical tasks:

• Ensure every eligible ballot is counted
• Ensure voters only voted once
• Ensure proper procedures were followed on Election Day
• Ensure the vote tabulation system is properly counting ballots

Processing Vote by Mail ballots takes time.  Each signature is verified prior to preparing the ballot for counting. Vote by Mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received up to seven days after Election Day must go through this process as well.

During the canvass, voting records are updated based on whether a registered voter voted by mail or in person. During this process, the number of voters is reconciled to the number of ballots cast for each voting location. This is a critical step in ensuring that all ballots are accounted for from each voting location. The statewide voter registration database linking up all 58 counties helps staff ensure voters only voted once.

During the canvass, counties are required to conduct audits of the ballot counting system, by performing the One Percent Manual Tally. This involves randomly selecting at least one percent of the precincts of ballots cast in person, as well as Vote by Mail ballots, and performing a manual hand count of each set of ballots, then comparing them to the machine count results.

“Canvassing votes involves more than just scanning ballots and tallying results,” said Kristin B. Connelly, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters. “There are many steps to ensure that ballots are counted properly, the equipment is counting correctly, and the integrity of the election is intact.”

As with all activities related to an election, the canvass is open to the public for observation.  Please contact your county elections office for more details on how to observe election activities. Information on this topic as well as direct links to local elections offices can be found on our website, BayAreaVotes.org, or our Facebook page, Bay Area Votes.