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Registrar warns new state rules will require faster signature verification, added public hours
Summary
Registrar Maria Valdez briefed the Board on administering a short-timeline election and said new state bills — cited as AB 1249 and an Assembly Bill requiring 13-day signature verification — will increase workload and require operational changes ahead of the June 2026 primary.
Maria Valdez, Lake County’s Registrar of Voters, recounted the operational challenge of assembling an election on a 75‑day timeline and outlined new statutory changes that will affect office operations in 2026. "We were given 75 days to put an election together compared to a typical 148 plus time frame," Valdez said, praising staff who met the deadline and certified results.
Valdez flagged two state measures that will change how the office operates: she cited "AB 1249, where we'll be required to be open Saturday before election day for a minimum of 6 hours to the public," and another bill that will require counties to verify signatures on vote-by-mail ballots within 13 days after election day (she referenced this as an "Assembly Bill" change requiring 13-day verification). She said those timing requirements will create a substantial staff workload impact and that elections offices statewide will need to plan staffing accordingly.
Valdez also said the legislature passed numerous election-related bills last year and that biweekly reporting (replacing weekly updates) will add to staff duties. For 2026 the office is preparing for the June statewide primary and the November general election; Valdez said the office aims to fill a current vacancy before the June election and will continue voter outreach events.
Board members asked about canceled registrants and potential fraud; Valdez said cancellations result from people moving out of county or passing away, that signature verification is performed on every returned ballot, and that she had no knowledge of voter fraud in the last election. "We verify signatures on every single ballot that comes back through to our office," she said.
Next steps: Registrar staff will plan operations to meet AB 1249 requirements and 13‑day signature verification obligations, brief the board on staffing and weekend hours, and issue an immediate release when procedures are finalized.
