Security is layered into every aspect of Contra Costa County’s elections and local officials take many steps – 48 steps to be exact – to protect our vote. The Contra Costa County Elections Division guarantees election security by securing technology, processes, facilities, and people.
“Elections are more secure than ever and we’re proud of Contra Costa’s reputation for fair and secure elections,” says Kristin B. Connelly, Contra Costa Registrar of Voters. “We want to show voters everything we do to protect their vote.”
Facts About Elections
- Is the voting system or equipment connected to the internet?
No. The voting system and tabulators are never connected to the internet, they do not have modems nor hardware that could be remotely activated, all USB ports are locked and many layers of cybersecurity are in place. - How do election officials prevent voter fraud?
Many security measures help prevent voter fraud, including registration and signature verification. Only eligible people can register to vote and they sign under penalty of perjury that they meet eligibility requirements. Registration is validated against DMV and Social Security records and if an applicant cannot be validated, they must provide a government-issued photo identification the first time they vote. - Can people vote more than once?
No. Safeguards are in place so only one ballot is accepted per voter and only the first ballot received is counted. Voters sign their ballot return envelope, or when they check in at a polling place, so officials can confirm their identity, check that they are registered to vote and that they only vote once. - Is voting by mail secure?
Yes. Voting by mail is a highly regulated process with many checkpoints, people and systems working together to keep it secure. Ballots are only mailed to active, registered voters and the envelopes have unique ID numbers for tracking (click to sign up). Mail-in ballot envelopes are signature verified against the voter’s signature on file. If a signature is missing or not a match, voters are contacted to cure their challenged ballot status. Ballots are not counted until signatures are verified. - How can I trust that votes are counted correctly?
- The voting system and equipment are tested before and after every election to ensure they are working properly and two election staff are always with ballots and voting equipment. See for yourself – all election activities are open to public observation and watched by certified election observers. Why does it take so long to count the votes?
Election officials do not tabulate votes or share results until after the polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Outcomes are not final until the official canvass is complete and certified, which can take up to 28 days after presidential elections. Officials ensure every eligible ballot is counted, voters only voted once, proper procedures were followed, and the voting system counted the ballots properly.
Contra Costa County is home to one of the safest, most secure and transparent election systems in the nation. Learn more at secure-election.org.