Alameda County Election Commission Meeting - February 24, 2026

The Alameda County Election Commission met on February 24, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The meeting included the swearing-in of a new commissioner, elections for president and vice president, approval of minutes, public comments, updates from the Registrar of Voters (ROV), reports from ad hoc committees, and discussions on election budgeting and observation processes. Key decisions included the election of Irene Dieter as President and Commissioner Ramone as Vice President, a motion to request a written fee schedule from the ROV for the 2026 elections, and a standing recommendation for incremental improvements to alert subscribers when election processes start.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the November 2025 meeting (pages 4–7) were approved unanimously. The minutes from the January 2026 meeting (pages 8–9) were also approved unanimously after a brief discussion about Commissioner Whitehurst's remote attendance; it was clarified that she could not count toward quorum under the Brown Act, but the minutes were approved as written.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Preston Jordan (Albany City Council): Commented on item 8E1 (budgeting for elections). He requested that the commission secure a binding schedule of charges from the ROV, citing a significant escalation in costs for youth voting in 2024 (from $21 per registered voter to over $150). He also noted that the surcharge for ranked-choice voting (RCV) has not been provided in advance and that printing charges for RCV ballots appeared excessive (nearly $4.50 per ballot in 2024, ten times the cost of the rest of the ballot). He urged the commission to consider the basis and justification for charges.
• John Guerrero (public comment on observation): Commented on the discussion about improving customer service for election observers. He suggested that the ROV leave video cameras on 24/7, as done in San Francisco and other jurisdictions, so the public can see when processes start, stop, or are ongoing. He noted that color-coded bins help observers track the process.

Announcements & Communications

• Staff Announcement (Cynthia Cornejo, Acting ROV): The meeting location will change starting in March 2026 due to a conflict at the library. Future meetings will be held at the Registrar of Voters' Office, 1225 Fallon Street, Oakland (basement of the superior court building). Attendees should be aware of security screening.
• Commissioner Announcements: Commissioner Henderson noted a New York Times opinion piece about California's slow election results due to the seven-day mail ballot rule.

Discussion Items

• Swearing-In of New Commissioner: Alexandra Jalith Metianes (Sasha) was sworn in as a commissioner. She will participate fully but does not count toward quorum as an ex-officio member.
• Election of President and Vice President: President Lindsay's term expired. Commissioner Irene Dieter was nominated and elected President (unanimous). Commissioner Ramone was nominated and elected Vice President (unanimous). The new President took over the meeting.
• Agenda Change: A motion to move item 8A4 (post-election assessment) to after item 8B2 (observation notifications) was approved (unanimous).
• Monthly Update from ROV (Cynthia Cornejo): The ROV is preparing for the June 2, 2026 primary election. The candidate nomination period runs February 9 to March 6. About 100 filings have been received so far. The signatures-in-lieu period has concluded; signatures are worth $0.33 each toward filing fees. Filing fees for county offices are approximately 1% of annual salary (around $2,000), requiring 6,000–7,000 valid signatures to offset. Candidate statements require translation into five languages, which adds cost. The ROV also noted that city candidates file with their respective cities.
• Ad Hoc Committee Reports:
  • Voting Participation Committee (Commissioner Seabrook): The committee has created a mission statement and is working on measurable goals. Commissioner Ritzy Hernandez was added to the committee (motion passed unanimously).
  • Nominations Committee (President Dieter): The committee successfully nominated and included Commissioner Ritzy Hernandez. A motion to disband the committee passed unanimously.
  • Youth Participation Ad Hoc Committee (Commissioner Varlick): The committee has not met recently but has done preliminary research. They requested data from the ROV on youth voter demographics and trends. The committee is considering pushing for in-person youth voting to reduce costs. They also learned about a program in Illinois called "Defenders of Democracy" that trains students to monitor elections. The ROV reported on its own youth outreach: a program to deputize high school students to register peers, a new data page on the ROV website with a filter for pre-registration, and the student election worker program (students receive a stipend and school credit). The ROV noted that youth voting costs are higher due to small numbers, but one-time costs (software, supplies) have been incurred.
• Update on Recruitment for ROV Position (Commissioner Lindsay): A letter was sent to the Board of Supervisors encouraging them to spread the word and offering assistance. The Board responded appreciatively and provided information on the process (pages 14–22 of the agenda). The recruitment is in progress.
• Budgeting for Elections and Candidate Statements (Item 8B1): Discussion centered on the need for clear, binding fee schedules for cities and jurisdictions, especially for RCV, youth voting, and reallocations for five or more ballot measures. A motion was made and seconded: to request the ROV produce a written fee schedule for the 2026 elections (including RCV, youth voting, and reallocations for five or more ballot measures) and to form an ad hoc committee to oversee implementation. The motion passed unanimously. The ad hoc committee will include Commissioners David Wagner, Jim Lindsay, and Commissioner Phan (city clerk).
• Start Times and Processes for Observation (Item 8B2): Discussion focused on improving notification to observers about when specific processes begin. Commissioner Lindsay moved to designate one staff member as a point person to give the fastest updates via the ROV alert list. After debate about feasibility and burden, President Dieter offered a substitute motion: that the commission make a standing recommendation for incremental improvements to alert subscribers when a certain process is about to start, and that the ROV update the commission on any changes. The substitute motion passed (one no vote).

Key Outcomes

• Elected President: Irene Dieter (unanimous).
• Elected Vice President: Commissioner Ramone (unanimous).
• Approved Minutes: November 2025 and January 2026 minutes approved unanimously.
• Added Commissioner to Voting Participation Committee: Sasha Ritzy Hernandez added (unanimous).
• Disbanded Nominations Committee: Unanimous.
• Motion on Fee Schedule (8B1): Passed unanimously. The ROV is to produce a written fee schedule for the 2026 elections, including RCV, youth voting, and reallocations for five or more ballot measures. An ad hoc committee (Wagner, Lindsay, Phan) will oversee implementation.
• Substitute Motion on Observation (8B2): Passed (one no vote). The commission recommends incremental improvements to alert subscribers when processes start; the ROV is to update the commission on any changes.
• Postponed Items: The special report on new laws and the post-election assessment were postponed to the next meeting (March 2026) due to time constraints. The next meeting will be at the ROV office in Oakland.