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Residents urge Orange County supervisors not to renew Voter's Choice Act, cite costs and access concerns
Summary
Dozens of public commenters urged the Board of Supervisors to direct the Registrar not to renew the Voter’s Choice Act, pointing to higher costs, fewer neighborhood polling sites and security concerns; multiple speakers suggested studying San Bernardino County’s hybrid election model as an alternative.
A large block of public commenters used the Board of Supervisors’ public comment period to press the board to reconsider the county’s participation in the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) and to study alternative election models.
Speakers repeatedly cited San Bernardino County’s hybrid approach—combining vote‑by‑mail, monitored drop boxes and targeted early voting locations—as an example that they said maintains access while reducing costs. "Imagine Orange County adopting this, tailored to our needs, transparent with cameras on drop boxes," said one commenter who referenced San Bernardino’s experience.
Other commenters with accounting and auditing backgrounds described ballot‑processing inefficiencies, mailings to people who no longer live in the county and internal controls concerns. One speaker noted, "Sometimes a ballot would be touched 20 times by people other than the voter," and urged 24‑hour cameras on ballot boxes per AB 37.
Several speakers quantified their concerns about cost. One commenter said, "Since VCA, our costs have gone up $5,000,000 or more per election," and multiple speakers cited data they said showed a reduction from more than 1,100 neighborhood in‑person locations to far fewer vote centers (they cited 181 in 2024 and 62 for a special election). Speakers asked the board to direct Registrar Bob Page to study and present options and not to submit a four‑year renewal of the VCA without broader public input.
Not all comments were technical. Some residents urged that the board exercise fiduciary responsibility to cities and taxpayers, and others framed the issue in civic terms about voter access and auditable elections.
Board members did not take action on the VCA during the meeting; public comment concluded and the board thanked speakers and adjourned. Several speakers asked for a formal analysis comparing election models and for the board to solicit direct input from officials in San Bernardino to clarify how that county’s system complies with state law.
