Faster Election Night Results Program

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

In 2007, California’s Secretary of State decertified electronic voting machines used by San Bernardino County, and in 2008, voters began voting on paper ballots. Election night results for the 2008 Presidential Election were tabulated at a central counting location after voted paper ballots were delivered from polling places. The 2008 election results took much longer to produce than results from electronic voting machines in prior years. Consequently, the public was frustrated with the transition from electronic voting machines to paper ballots because of the effects on timely reporting. In response to this frustration, in 2012 the Elections Office set a goal to improve the existing ballot counting program and provide faster results. To achieve this goal, the Elections Office implemented the Faster Election Night Results Program. This program strives to achieve four objectives: 1) To make the process for segregating ballots more efficient, 2) To speed up the process of delivering ballots to the central counting location, 3) To speed up the process for reviewing ballots, and 4) To improve the process for counting ballots. After implementing the Faster Election Night Results Program, election night results were delivered six hours faster in the 2012 Presidential Election than the 2008 Presidential Election.