Elections Integrity

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Kern County Elections Division: Securing and Protecting the Integrity of Elections

Addressing Misinformation, Disinformation, and Malinformation

The Kern County Elections Division takes a proactive approach to addressing concerns related to election misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. Our strategies include:

Clear and Direct Communication: We prioritize publishing clear, easy-to-understand information on our website and in printed materials. We ensure all Kern County registered voters are informed about key election dates, rules, operational changes, and other important details.

Comprehensive Outreach: We engage in precise, multilingual outreach efforts through notices, press releases, and social media channels to reach our diverse community.

Monitoring and Response: We monitor public platforms for false information. We respond to false information with official and verified facts.

Community Engagement: We participate in various community events to engage with residents, community organizations, and outreach partners.

Evaluation and Response Plan: We have developed internal protocols for monitoring, evaluating, and responding to incidents across various platforms.

Voting System Safeguards

Kern County’s voting system is certified by the California Secretary of State. All voting systems certified by the California Secretary of State must fully comply with the current California Voting System Standards. These standards include numerous fraud prevention requirements, such as the rule that all voting machines must incorporate locks or tamper-evident seals on all access points. For additional protocols, visit the California Secretary of State website.

Official Ballot Drop Boxes

Our official ballot drop boxes are designed, placed, maintained, and used in compliance with the California Code of Regulations. These regulations require that official drop boxes be constructed of durable material, bolted to the ground, tamper-resistant, easy to use, and assigned unique identifying numbers. Kern County Election Officers are responsible for securely transferring ballots from these drop boxes.

Vote-by-Mail Security

Ensuring the security of vote-by-mail ballots is a top priority for the Kern County Elections Division. Here’s how we maintain integrity throughout the process:

Verification Process: Before accepting and counting any returned vote-by-mail ballot, our staff processes the outer envelope to confirm that the ballot inside has been returned by the voter to whom it was sent. This involves capturing an image of the voter’s signature on the envelope and comparing it to the signature on file.

Adherence to Regulations: Our staff follows consistent and comprehensive internal guidelines, rooted in relevant state regulations, for processing vote-by-mail ballots. This includes regulations for signature verification and ballot processing.

Ballot Tracking

You have several easy and convenient options to track your ballot. Whether you prefer to vote by mail or in person, you can track your ballot by logging into Kernvote.com, signing up for the state sponsored ballot tracking system BallotTrax, or contacting our office. By law, all vital election materials, including ballots, are securely stored and archived for the periods specified by law.

Ensuring Accurate Vote Counts

In compliance with state law, we use a voting system certified by the California Secretary of State and conduct Logic and Accuracy testing on all voting machines before each election. The public is welcome to observe these processes. To confirm the accuracy of the vote count, we conduct a manual count of 1% of vote-by-mail batches.

Ballot Counting and Recounting

After every election, we post both summary and detailed reports of election results and election data.

Provisional Ballot Counting

All valid ballots cast provisionally, are counted in every election. We review all provisional ballots cast at polling places on Election Day. If a voter is determined to be eligible and has not cast another ballot, their ballot is counted.

Preventing Duplicate Registration and Double Voting

We follow stringent processes to prevent duplicate registrations and double voting. If a Kern County voter re-registers in another county, their Kern County registration is automatically canceled. If a second ballot is returned, it will be rejected.

Voter Identification

In most cases, voters in California are not required to show identification when voting. However, first-time voters in federal elections who registered by mail without providing a Driver’s License or Social Security number will need to show one of several acceptable forms of identification. A copy of a recent utility bill, the county Voter Information Guide you received from your county elections office, or another document sent to you by a government agency are examples of acceptable forms of identification. Other examples include your passport, driver license, official California identification card, or student identification card. If your identity cannot be verified, then your Vote-by-Mail ballot return envelope will not be opened.

Rumors and Facts

Review the California Secretary of State’s election’s rumors, realities, and facts at www.sos.ca.gov/elections/election-cybersecurity/trusted-information.

How You Can Help

There are many ways you can help protect the integrity of our elections:

Regularly check and update your voter registration information.

Sign up for election updates on Kernvote.com.

Serve as a poll worker.

Visit the Kern County Elections Division to observe the electoral process.

Report any misinformation or suspicious activity to the Secretary of State’s office at VoteSure@sos.ca.gov or complete a voter fraud and complaint form here.

Together, we can ensure that every vote in Kern County is counted accurately and securely.