Alameda County registrar gets oversight after election blunders
Election error in Alameda County names new winner in District 4 race
A stunning twist in the Oakland School Board race. Mike Hutchinson – who thought he lost his race in District 4 - actually won. The Alameda County Registrar of Voters revealed an error in the tabulation process that would have moved Hutchinson from third place to first.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Alameda County leaders on Tuesday approved an ordinance to establish a new authority to oversee the registrar of voters after previous election blunders.
The county's board of supervisors chose to adopt an Elections Oversight Commission after the 2022 midterm election when errors in the vote tabulation for several candidates were discovered after certification by the Registrar, officials said.
"We are living in a time when the legitimacy of election results are continuously called into question," said Supervisor Keith Carson. "While the vast majority of results are correct, as the County experienced during last year’s election, errors do occur. Trust in our electoral process is at the heart of our democracy; by establishing this commission, we are ensuring that this process will be more transparent and that issues impacting voting access and vote tabulation will be addressed and corrected in a timely manner."
The Elections Oversight Commission will oversee all federal, state, district, and municipal elections conducted by the county registrar.
The commission will consist of 13 members, five selected by the board of supervisors, four chosen by outside organizations, and 4 at-large members who represent impacted communities, the board said.