Board approves Ventura County elections advisory committee after two-day public debate

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on April 29 approved creation of a five-member Elections Advisory Committee intended to provide a public forum for input and advice on local election administration.

The committee will be advisory only and not have authority to change election procedures or operations. Members will be nominated by each supervisor and confirmed by the board; the vice chair of the board will coordinate agendas for the committee. The board directed staff to work with county counsel and the chief executive office to provide procedural guardrails for the new body.

Supporters said the panel will improve transparency and give residents a structured place to raise election-related questions. "This is about providing an additional structured avenue for public input, public engagement and public education," Supervisor Claudia Gurell said when introducing the measure.

Opponents — including election officials, voting-rights advocates and many residents who spoke at a lengthy public-comment period — warned the committee could be used to sow distrust in the county’s elections and to push changes that are barred by state law. "Ventura County's elections are administered by trained professionals and overseen by state law," said speaker Susan Roth. "This advisory committee risks politicizing a process that needs expertise and independence."

County Clerk-Recorder Michelle Asuncion, who runs the elections office, has repeatedly defended the office’s transparency and security measures. Several speakers pointed to the county’s recent post-election audits and education programs as evidence the office already meets public needs.

In response to the concerns, the board adopted several revisions to the draft resolution before the final vote: agendas will be coordinated by the board vice chair rather than an individual supervisor, initial membership will be five nominees (one per supervisorial district), and the committee will be asked to return within a year with recommendations on membership expansion or other procedural changes.

The motion carried 3-2. The resolution asks the committee to be volunteer-based with administrative support provided from existing budgets and directs staff to return with formation details and initial operating procedures. Board members emphasized the body is intended as an ongoing, nonpartisan forum and not an investigatory panel.

Why it matters: The committee addresses persistent public interest in election security, outreach and administration. Supervisors said it will allow the county to capture recurring questions and suggestions from residents without diverting immediate staff time from day-to-day election operations.