Alameda County Election Commission Meeting – November 24, 2025

The commission met on November 24, 2025, to discuss post-election updates, committee reports, and upcoming elections. Key actions included approving October minutes, recommending a new commissioner, creating a post-election assessment committee, and urging the Registrar of Voters to develop a technical solution for youth voting in vote centers by November 2026. The next meeting is scheduled for January 15, 2026.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: The minutes from the October 2025 meeting (pages 4–7) were approved by acclamation without objection.

Announcements

• No December 2025 meeting; the next meeting will be January 15, 2026, when new officers will be elected (President Lindsay is termed out).
• Commissioner Zarbre’s term ended and she chose not to continue, leaving two open seats: seat 6 (impacted community) and seat 13 (voting rights organization). The commission will ask the Board of Supervisors for help filling seat 13.

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Guerrero (public comment): Appreciated the release of cash vote records with each update. Noted that in this election, vote-by-mail ballots counted by election night rose to about 50% (up from 40% in previous elections). Expressed strong opposition to intermixing youth voting (16- and 17-year-old pre-registered voters in Oakland and Berkeley) with the countywide vote center system, arguing that software integration risks bugs and could jeopardize certification of the November 2026 election. Urged the commission not to pressure vendors to implement that integration.

Discussion Items

• Registrar of Voters’ Monthly Update (Item 7): Staff reported on the November 4, 2025, statewide special election and Washington Township health care district election. Turnout: Alameda County 52.5% (507,873 ballots cast from 966,534 registered voters) vs. statewide ~50%. The official canvas continues, with about 3,366 ballots still needing signature curing. The one percent manual tally was completed. Discussion included signature verification training, the curing process (letters, calls, emails), and the Department of Justice’s request for unredacted voter registration data (no official request received). The commission asked about a public post-election debrief; staff indicated internal reviews are not typically made public but major issues are reported to the state.
• Voting Participation Committee (8A): Commissioner Seabrook reported the committee is redefining its focus and will create a mission statement at its next meeting (January 2026). Commissioners emphasized it is a long-term project and they will look at other counties’ models.
• Nomination Committee (8A): Commissioner Fam presented candidate Alexandra “Sasha” Hernandez for seat 6 (impacted community). Hernandez has experience advising poll workers, ran for Oakland School Board, serves on the Alameda County Language Advisory Committee, and is executive director of Somos Familia. The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend her to the Board of Supervisors.
• Youth Participation Committee (8A): The new committee has a tentative meeting on December 1, 2025. Goals include working with the ROV to expand youth pre-registration and voting, partnering with school districts, and reaching youth in juvenile justice and foster systems.
• Post-Election Assessment (8B1): The commission created an ad hoc committee (Commissioners Butter, Wagner, and Fam) to draft an assessment report for the January 2026 meeting. Commissioners shared feedback: positive comments on early voting promotion, billboard “thank you for voting” ads, smooth vote-by-mail experience; one complaint about late voter information guides; and observation that vote centers had steady flow on election day.
• Recruitment for ROV Position (8B2): Discussion on the upcoming vacancy (Registrar of Voters). The commission will send a letter to the Board of Supervisors offering assistance and encouraging commissioners and the public to spread the word about the job opening. No formal action taken.
• Youth Voting in Vote Centers (8B3): The commission discussed the need for a technological solution allowing pre-registered 16- and 17-year-olds in Oakland and Berkeley to vote in person at vote centers. The ROV is already in conversations with vendors (DIMS and No Ink) but cannot meet a June 2026 deadline; the next applicable election is November 2026. The commission voted unanimously (7-0) to encourage the ROV to work with its vendors to develop that solution by November 2026.

Key Outcomes

• Approved October 2025 minutes by acclamation.
• Recommended Alexandra “Sasha” Hernandez to the Board of Supervisors to fill seat 6 (vote: 7-0).
• Created a Post-Election Assessment Ad Hoc Committee (Butter, Wagner, Fam) to report at the January 2026 meeting (vote: 7-0).
• Passed a motion encouraging the ROV to work with its vendors to enable pre-registered youth to vote in vote centers by the November 2026 election (vote: 7-0).
• Directed the President to send a letter to the Board of Supervisors offering assistance with the ROV recruitment.
• Next meeting: January 15, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. (no meeting in December 2025).