BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Ballots are now arriving in mailboxes across Kern County, marking the start of “Voter Action Week” as election season gets underway. With that, Kern County election officials are reassuring voters that multiple layers of security are in place to protect every ballot.
Laura Cantu is the Assistant Registrar of Voters with the county, and she says, “Vote-by-mail ballots are tracked from the second they leave the vendor. Every vote-by-mail ballot has a unique barcode ID that is just for that voter. Voters are able to track their ballot if they are signed up for BallotTrax. From the second it leaves the vendor and hits the mail stream, they will receive a notification. That unique barcode ID is what we use when the ballots are returned to our office, so that’s how we identify that ballot to the voter.”
Election officials say once ballots arrive at the elections office, signatures are verified to ensure they match the registered voter, and to prevent duplicate ballots from being counted. But some residents still have questions about transparency in the process and believe there needs to be more direct communication with voters.
Mary Helen Barro is the President of the League of Women Voters of Kern County, and she says, “I think they need to reach out more. I think they’re taking a lot for granted, and I don’t think they’re reassuring the voters. Especially, they need to reach out to limited English speakers. We have a lot of limited English speakers in Kern County."
Barro is part of the League of Women Voters of Kern County — a nonpartisan organization that provides voters with information and answers questions about the election process.
“People are so busy earning a living or trying to earn a living and doing things, they just don’t have time to find out what’s really going on. I think maybe we need more programs that help people understand the ballot.” Barro said.
Election officials say their priority is ensuring every eligible vote is counted accurately and securely, while also building trust through transparency and communication.
“Before Election Day, we go through logic and accuracy testing. That is to ensure that our voting system, which encompasses our tabulation and reporting system, accurately reads and reports what has been marked on the ballot. We go through a series of tests to confirm that. Post-election, we also conduct a one-percent manual tally using voted ballots from poll sites and vote-by-mail ballots.” Cantu said.
As ballots continue arriving this week, officials urge voters to stay informed, ask questions, and make sure their voice is heard at the ballot box.
Kern County election officials say voters can also track their mail ballots
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