Jessie Salinas, Yolo County’s Assessor/Clerk Recorder/Registrar of Voters
Press Release
As the November elections draw near, people may have questions about the voting process and how the Yolo County Election’s Office will go about its job.
Elections staff view their responsibility as maintaining transparency while working toward civic engagement, and Yolo County’s Assessor/Clerk Recorder/Registrar of Voters, Jesse Salinas, has agreed to talk about the process at the Woodland League of Women Voters’ request at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Sept. 23, at the Woodland Community & Senior Center, 2001 East St.
The gathering is open to the public, not just members of the Woodland league. Light refreshments will be provided during the Sept. 23 event and Woodland TV will broadcast the talk. A recording will also be uploaded at: https://youtube.com/live/Ic-pitJdQLc
Elections Office staff have been gearing up for months in anticipation of a busy day Tuesday, Nov. 5, when ballots are cast at vote centers countywide.
Salinas has been in charge of county elections since 2016 and has been working since that time to create a simple and transparent process that allows people to cast their ballots either in person or by mail, while at the same time expanding access to the rural areas countywide.
Salinas and his staff were particularly challenged during the pandemic, when people couldn’t vote at their customary polling places. As a result, 13 “vote centers” countywide were established along with a mobile vote center that travels into the rural communities.
County residents first saw the implementation of a vote center like model beginning in 2020 and during the California recall election of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Yolo County officially transitioned to a Vote Center Act county in June 2022.
Salinas viewed that election and others as a challenge to “our process and [to] improve it for Yolo County voters.”
“I always strive to conduct a fair, accessible and transparent election,” says Salinas. “Some of the following are examples of specific things we have done, including purchasing new voter equipment and an election management system, continuously updating our voter records, signature training for all staff and transparency through various communication/invitations to observe.”
The Woodland League of Women Voters is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year and is continuing to work to achieve its goal of outreach and education as it closes in on this election.
“The importance of this election is unprecedented, both nationally, but also at the local level. In the upcoming election each city has a measure on the ballot,” says Salinas.
“Ensuring the election process goes smoothly for all voters is vital, especially during this period of extra scrutiny,” added Lorna Carriveau, League president. “We appreciate Mr. Salinas discussing its complexities and how the Elections Office has responded to so many concerns.”
The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan, grassroots, national organization, dedicated to local voter education and empowering citizens to shape better communities for more than 100 years.
