REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
July 9, 2024
FROM
STEPHENIE SHEA, Registrar of Voters
SUBJECT
Title
Amendments to Template Agreements for Installation and Maintenance of Secure Ballot Drop Boxes
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve amendments to drop box template agreements for the installation and maintenance of wireless cameras at Registrar of Voters’ drop-boxes used for elections across the county.
2. Authorize the Registrar of Voters or the Assistant Registrar of Voters to execute the template amendments, and any subsequent non-substantive amendments, to the template agreements on behalf of the County with cities and other property owners, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Stephenie Shea, Registrar of Voters, 387-2100)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). It is estimated that the cost to install and maintain the cameras for the first year is $220,078. The first-year costs associated with the installation and maintenance of the wireless cameras are anticipated to be funded by State grants. The subsequent annual cost to maintain the cameras is estimated to be $44,938, which includes quarterly cleaning, inspection, and replacement of certain hardware, if needed. Sufficient appropriation will be included in the future Registrar of Voters’ (ROV) budget to fund future maintenance costs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On August 25, 2020 (Item No. 60), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved four template agreements (Agreements) for the installation and maintenance of ROV’s secure outdoor ballot drop boxes that are used during elections. State law had required ROV to provide a minimum number of lockable ballot drop boxes for the November 3, 2020 Presidential General Election.
There are currently over 70 ballot drop boxes installed throughout the county which provide voters a safe and expedient way to return a voted ballot to the ROV. The ballot drop boxes are only unlocked during election time and remain locked at all other times. The recommended template amendments (Amendments) will enable the installation and maintenance of wireless cameras at drop box locations that do not currently have cameras, further strengthening election security.
Recommendation No. 2 will authorize the Registrar of Voters or Assistant Registrar of Voters to execute the individual Amendments with property owners and to execute subsequent non-substantive amendments to the Agreements, subject to review by County Counsel.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Jolena Grider, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 11, 2024; Finance (Elias Duenas, Administrative Analyst, 387-4378) on June 18, 2024; and County Finance and Administrative (Valerie Clay, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on June 20, 2024.