County Supervisor Report November 2020
By Susan Peters
November 2020
Cast and Counted
County takes steps to cancel out voting fraud
There are often accusations and rumors about political campaigns tampering with voter rolls to steal elections. For 2020, voters can be assured Sacramento County’s Department of Voter Registration and Elections is making sure only legitimate votes are cast and counted.
To clean up voter files, the department receives weekly and monthly notifications from the U.S. Postal Service, Department of Motor Vehicles, Employment Development Department, superior courts (for felon notices), the county and state Department of Public Health (for people who passed away), as well as VoteCal, a statewide voter database that checks for duplicate registrations throughout California.
On average, the department cancels approximately 600 voters a month due to death notifications. If a voter misses two general elections, the department will inactivate that individual’s record and stop sending ballots and election materials until the voter contacts the department.
All returned ballots are subject to signature verification. The signature on the return envelope has to match the voter record for that ballot to count. During the last 16 years, there have only been two cases of proven voter fraud in Sacramento County where a ballot was cast using someone else’s information.
All registered voters in Sacramento County were mailed General Election ballots last month. Voters may mail in their ballots (must be postmarked by Election Day), deliver them to a secure Ballot Drop Box or vote in person at any Vote Center. For more information, visit elections.saccounty.net or call (916) 875-6451.
AIRPORT SAFETY
Do your holiday travel plans involve going to the Sacramento International Airport? Passengers are encouraged to check the airport website at sacramento.aero/smf for the latest parking information before getting to the airport, as parking conditions change quickly.
The airport has added numerous safety measures for visitors and staff, including increased cleaning and sanitizing, ticket-counter sneezeguards and social-distancing messages. There are personal protective equipment vending machines in both terminals offering masks, disposable gloves, sanitizing wipes and hand-sanitizers.
Visitors can also avoid circling the terminals to pick up passengers by using the Free Waiting Area, also known as the Cell Phone Lot. Located near the Interstate 5 entrance/exit, this lot has convenient access to both terminals. When passengers arrive, they call their ride, who can then pick them up curbside.
GIVING THANKS
With Thanksgiving almost upon us, it’s common to reflect on our blessings and realize there are individuals among us in need.
The Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services will soon begin its annual turkey distribution by providing those in need with a fresh or frozen turkey or ham and two bags of dry and canned foods for Thanksgiving dishes. To donate to this effort, visit sacramentofoodbank.org.
EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS
The recent wildfires have demonstrated the importance of receiving timely information in an emergency. Our regional mass notification system is a critical link to immediately learning of required actions, like forced evacuations, shelter-in-place orders and road closures.
Prepare for a disaster by registering to receive notifications from the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services at sacramento-alert.org. Public safety officials will contact you via call, text or email.
The unique feature of Sacramento County’s system is the ability to handle more than one contact method, including cell phones, alternate mobile numbers, landlines, text and email. You choose the best notification method or choose them all. You can also register multiple locations, such as a worksite, parent’s home or child’s school, to get alerts about the places imporant to you.
Susan Peters represents the Third District on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. She can be reached at susanpeters@saccounty.net.
