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Local activists press board on election irregularities; county clerk defends election safeguards
Summary
Unite for Freedom volunteers presented a resolution alleging large voter‑roll errors and requested board action; County Clerk Vega described audits, HAVA funding and steps voters can take, while other public commenters and board members urged caution and verification of claims.
Several members of the public used the Feb. 10 Lake County Board public‑comment period to press elected officials about election integrity and to ask the board to adopt a resolution calling for remedial actions.
Dean Barker, a volunteer for Unite for Freedom, and other presenters told the board they had conducted an independent audit of certified election files and described findings they said showed registration errors and improperly counted votes in recent general elections. "We are proposing a resolution that highlights key statistics and calls for an end to inaccuracies and uncertainties that compromise our elections," Barker said.
Brian Jones read the resolution in full and called on the board to support measures including infrastructure compliance, voter verification procedures and stronger chain‑of‑custody practices for ballots. Other presenters repeated numerical claims and urged immediate action.
Clerk Vega responded to the floor during the chair’s remarks and reminded residents that the county performs pre‑election testing, post‑election audits and that the United States Postal Service changes can affect timely return of mail ballots. "We have a lot of checks and balances," she said, encouraging residents to become poll watchers to observe election processes.
Not all public commenters agreed with the audit presenters. Alexandria King Sofiakis and other speakers urged caution about alleging widespread miscounts, arguing that structural choices such as ranked‑choice voting or gerrymandering — not mass miscounts — are more typical drivers of voter concern. The board did not vote on the resolution during this meeting; some board members asked the presenters to bring the matter to a committee for more detailed review and documentation.
Where it stands: the presenters asked the board to place a resolution on a future agenda and to sign in support of legislative or investigative steps. Several members indicated they would like more time to review the audit materials and to ensure public notice and staff reviews before taking formal action.
