Supervisor of Elections asks commissioners for $22.1 million to expand access with ‘vote mobile’ and satellite office

Karen Castor Dentel, Orange County supervisor of elections, told the Board of County Commissioners during the July 17 budget work session that her office’s proposed $22,100,000 budget is a 15.82% increase over FY2025 and is driven by three priorities: expanding access, enhancing communications and increasing early‑voting opportunities. “The budget request before you totals $22,100,000 representing a 15.82% increase over last year,” Castor Dentel said.

Castor Dentel said the request would fund six new positions (four customer‑service representatives, one software developer and one warehouse coordinator), expand early‑voting sites from 22 to 28 and pay for election cycles that include municipal elections, the 2026 gubernatorial primary and part of the 2026 general election. To reach voters who do not normally use the office, the proposal includes a “vote mobile,” an office on wheels that will visit neighborhood events, senior centers, college campuses and community fairs to help residents register, update information and get election materials.

The supervisor also proposed a co‑location model with Orange County’s tax collector to open a staffed satellite office at the West Oaks branch, which she said draws about 2,000 visitors a day. “We intend to take full advantage of the West Oaks small location which sees more than 2,000 residents each day,” Castor Dentel said. She described the space as a place to update registrations and reach voters who do not use the office’s website or traditional news outlets.

Commissioners questioned the office’s facility needs. Castor Dentel said the elections headquarters on Kaylee Street is “stretched beyond capacity” and currently for sale; she said the county’s real estate division is working on possible replacement space but that any move would not happen before the next November election. The board’s real estate staff confirmed the county is assisting with identifying an appropriate facility in city limits.

Castor Dentel told commissioners that the office faces rising cybersecurity costs because federal cybersecurity support has been scaled back, and it faces new state mandates that require more staff for petition verification. She also warned of higher costs to reissue voter ID cards after the charter amendment that added two commissioners requires precinct updates and re‑mailing voter information to all registered voters.

Board members expressed general support for the goals but pressed for detail on timelines, marketing and the cost of mailing new voter ID cards. Commissioners also pressed Castor Dentel about ensuring enough outreach funds to inform voters about changing precincts following redistricting and about details for proposed early‑voting locations in rapidly growing eastern and southern districts. Castor Dentel said the office is already coordinating with commissioners about site selection.

The board took the countywide tentative budget and millages later in the meeting; the elections office’s request is included in the draft county budget presented by county staff and will be revisited during budget hearings and certificate reconciliations.