Alameda County Elections Commission Meeting - August 27, 2026

The Alameda County Elections Commission met on August 27, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. to discuss ongoing election operations, ad hoc committee reports, potential memorandums of understanding with city clerks, commissioner restrictions, and a special report on temporary election workers. The commission approved the July meeting minutes and adopted revised rules and procedures after amendments.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the July 16, 2026 meeting minutes by a vote of 6-0 (Commissioner Henderson abstaining).
• The June 2026 post-election assessment was previously emailed to the Board of Supervisors; no changes were made.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made on non-agenda items at the start of the meeting.
• Public comment periods were opened for each agenda item but no speakers came forward.

Discussion Items

• Ad Hoc Committee Reports
  • Voting Participation Committee (Seabrook, Moore, Whitehurst, Lindsay, Hernandez): Received data from a local nonprofit covering voter eligibility and turnout across cities. The committee noted that Oakland District 3 had only 40% of eligible voters turning out, making it a potential pilot focus. Requested further data for other jurisdictions; expects to share findings with full commission.
  • Youth Participation Committee (Varlack, Whitehurst, Butter, Hernandez): Reported no formal meeting but monitored youth voting implementation in Oakland and Berkeley. Expressed interest in a standardized framework for youth voting across jurisdictions and protecting youth voter data privacy. The ROV confirmed that youth pre-registration records are confidential under state law and that youth voters can vote by mail or in person.
  • Budgeting for Elections Committee (Wagner, Pham, Lindsay): Scheduled a follow-up meeting with the ROV on September 9, 2026 to further understand cost allocation. The ROV posted explanatory language on five-or-more measure pricing on its website.
  • Rules and Procedures Committee (Dieter): The commission approved revised rules and procedures after incorporating feedback from county counsel and amending the document. Amendments included moving Section B12 (Member Responsibilities) to B1, adding language that the Board of Supervisors' handbook supersedes the commission's rules, and emphasizing in-person and on-time attendance. Motion passed unanimously.
• Election Services Discussion and Potential MOUs: The ROV reported improved communication with city clerks, including a pre-election workshop, a planned post-election debrief, and regular updates on ballot measure letter designations. County counsel noted legal cautions about MOUs potentially altering election code obligations. The commission agreed to revisit the topic at its October meeting but acknowledged that an update may be deferred due to election workload.
• Workshop on Election Commission Interests: Commissioners and staff brainstormed potential future agenda items, including: public communication improvements, Brown Act yearly updates, election website and ordinance clarifications, impact of mail ballot restrictions, election cost allocation recommendations, voter turnout analysis, transparency in election data, certification speed, youth voting data presentation, and ADA/WCAG 2.1AA compliance by April 2027. A new public spreadsheet will track requests.
• Commission Member Restrictions: The commission reviewed Administrative Code Section 2.134.060 prohibiting holding other county office, being a campaign consultant/lobbyist, or participating in campaigns for candidates or ballot measures appearing on the county or municipal ballot. Discussion focused on ambiguity regarding federal/state races and appearances of bias. Counsel emphasized maintaining objectivity. No action taken.
• Special Report – Temporary Election Workers (TAP Program): The ROV explained the Temporary Assignment Pool (TAP) for internal election workers (about 300 per election). Hiring involves county HR screening, background checks, interviews, and orientation. The ROV relies on rehires but still requires full onboarding. Commission members were reminded that they cannot work for the ROV due to employment restrictions.

Key Outcomes

• Motion to approve revised Rules and Procedures (Item 7-A(4)) passed unanimously with amendments to reorder sections, add a superseding clause for the Board of Supervisors' handbook, and clarify attendance expectations.
• Approved July 2026 meeting minutes (6-0, 1 abstention).
• The commission gathered a list of suggested agenda items from members and staff for future meetings; scheduling will be handled by the President and Vice-President.
• The election services update will remain on the October agenda, though the ROV may report no update due to election season.
• No formal votes were taken on other discussion items.