The League of Women Voters of San Diego commends the Registrar of Voters for the efforts undertaken to date to implement the Voter’s Choice Act in San Diego. However, we would like to address several issues.
Last October, we testified at the BOS meeting in support of the implementation of the VCA with the caveat that sufficient funding be allocated to support robust community outreach efforts, particularly important given the relatively short implementation period. In reviewing the EAP, the current funding allocated is less than $1 per voter, compared to LA County’s spending of just over $2/voter. We recommend that the ROV increase funding to a comparable level and consider hiring a staff member to lead the community outreach efforts.
We believe a distinction should be made between the public’s understanding of the Vote Center model, and the development of the EAP. Community input on the draft EAP could be facilitated by adding a Table of Contents, providing clearer links to the VCA page on the ROV’s website, providing the physical addresses of proposed Vote Centers, and expanding on the fiscal impact of Vote Centers. We also recommend that more detail be provided for both the General Media and Education plans to include outreach efforts for voters on parole, mobile RV and Drive through options. Finally, adding additional public hearings should be considered.
Thank you.