STOCKTON, Calif. — As the March 5 Primary Election approaches, the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters is implementing enhanced security measures to safeguard the electoral process. Following a recent voter fraud case that has heightened concerns over election integrity, Registrar Olivia Hale has announced a comprehensive 18-month effort to strengthen the county's election procedures.
Under Hale's guidance, the Registrar's office has significantly upgraded its operations. Innovations include the automation of date stamping and the tallying of vote-by-mail ballots, the introduction of digital tracking for ballot transport bags, and the digitization of the drop box process. Furthermore, a robust system involving three tiers of teams has been established to meticulously review and verify the signatures on ballots and candidate documents.
"We are prepared, excited, and ready to execute Election Day," Hale expressed, underscoring her department's readiness to handle the election with precision and integrity.
A pivotal addition to the county's security measures targets residences with an unusually high number of registered voters. In collaboration with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, the Registrar's office now runs reports on homes with over ten registered voters, a direct response to the lessons learned from the case involving former Lodi City Council member Shakir Khan. Khan's no-contest plea to charges of money laundering and election fraud in January 2024, following the discovery of 41 mail-in ballots and 71 registrations linked to his home or cell number, has been a catalyst for this new scrutiny.
Although this enhanced security measure has already been deployed, Hale assures that, to date, it has not triggered any significant concerns or actions. "We ran our report, sent it over, and they did an assessment. We determined that at this moment in time, there is not really any huge concerns," she clarified.
The Registrar's office hopes these fortified security protocols will reassure San Joaquin County voters of the election's integrity. "Our county is doing all that we can to ensure that the voters’ ballots are safe and secure and taken care of accurately and correctly," Hale stated, emphasizing the commitment to a fair and secure voting process.
In addition to mail-in voting, San Joaquin County residents can participate in early in-person voting exclusively at the Registrar's downtown Stockton office. On Election Day, the county will operate 153 voting locations, ensuring accessible and secure voting options for all its residents. With these measures in place, San Joaquin County is setting a robust example of how to protect the cornerstone of democracy: the electoral process.