County seeks public input on move to new election model

The county is seeking public input on its transition to a new voting model that provides flexible voting locations and mail-in ballots.

On Thursday, the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters office announced it will hold three virtual public hearings at the end of August on its transition to the Voter’s Choice Act election model.

In March, the Board of Supervisors approved a plan to require the registrar of voters office to mail ballots to all active, registered voters. Voters preferring to cast ballots in person can still do so under the new system which will take full effect after the Consolidated General Election on Nov. 2.

In person voting will be available at voting centers instead of polling places, according to a news release from the county’s registrar of voters office.

Typically fewer in number, voting centers are open on multiple days and are available for any registered voter in the county, as opposed to polling places which were only open to voters by precinct, the news release said.

The upcoming public hearings are intended to gather public input on the plan and educate voters on the Voter’s Choice Act election model.

The virtual meetings will be held on at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 26, 2 p.m. Aug. 27 and 11 a.m. Aug. 30.

The county also held public consultation meetings on the plan in May and July.

Further details on the model can be found by contacting the registrar of voters office at 707-565-6800 or rov-info@sonoma-county.org. The office is also open for in-person, masked visits and is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 435 Fiscal Drive in Santa Rosa.

You can reach Staff Writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or emma.murphy@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MurphReports.