Politics & Government
'Election Observer Tours' Begin In Riverside County Amid Countdown To Nov. 3
Riverside County Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco has made transparency one of his priorities during election cycles, starting in 2024.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Beginning Tuesday and continuing to the day of the general election, Riverside County residents interested in seeing how the Office of the Registrar of Voters processes vote-by-mail ballots and coordinates other tasks are welcome to have a look.
"Election Observer Tours" start Tuesday and thereafter will be held every Tuesday and Thursday until Nov. 3, according to officials.
"We invite community members to engage with the democratic process and learn how their votes are counted," Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco said. "Together, let's ensure a fair, accurate and transparent election for all."
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The tours, which will facilitate a maximum of 20 people at a time, will be held at the agency's headquarters at 2720 Gateway Drive in Riverside, generally from 11 a.m. to noon, or 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Office of the Registrar of Voters has been a lightning rod of debate for the past two decades, struggling to counter accusations of negligent chain-of-custody policies, inaccurate voter rolls and unsecured electronic ballot tabulations.
Find out what's happening in Murrietafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The office has also contended with recurring red ink on its budget, and from time to time has been called out for laggard vote counts, running sometimes weeks after election day.
In February, an election integrity group found apparent discrepancies in the countywide results certified after the special election last November, leading Sheriff Chad Bianco to obtain warrants for the seizure of tens of thousands of ballots for examination. That led to a court battle between the sheriff and California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who argued Bianco had overstepped his authority.
The state Supreme Court sided with Bonta in a decision published last month.
Tinoco is the fourth registrar at the helm since 2006. He has made transparency one of his priorities during election cycles, starting in 2024.
For more information on observer tours, residents were asked to make reservations by calling 951-486-7200.
Information regarding where to vote early and other considerations can be found at voteinfo.net.
Related: 1.4 Million Vote-By-Mail Ballots Sent In Riverside County
