Interview Prep Flashcards
(27 cards)
What does the Voting Rights Act (VRA) require regarding language assistance?
It requires bilingual election materials for jurisdictions with significant populations of language minorities (e.g., Spanish materials in Stanislaus County).
What is the NVRA (‘Motor Voter’) law?
It mandates offering voter registration opportunities at DMV offices and other public assistance agencies, and regulates voter list maintenance.
What does the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) require for polling places?
Every polling place must have at least one accessible voting system for people with disabilities and provide provisional ballots when voter eligibility is uncertain.
Under federal law, how long must election materials from federal elections be kept?
22 months after the election.
What does the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) mandate?
It ensures military and overseas voters can vote absentee in federal elections, with ballots sent out at least 45 days before Election Day (MOVE Act).
What is the California Voter’s Choice Act (VCA)?
An election model where all voters are mailed a ballot, traditional polling places are replaced by fewer ‘vote centers,’ and voters can cast ballots at any center within the county.
What is the voter registration deadline in California?
15 days before Election Day, but same-day voter registration is also available up to and on Election Day.
What is Conditional Voter Registration (CVR)?
It allows voters to register and vote provisionally after the regular deadline, with their eligibility confirmed post-election before counting their vote.
What is California’s VoteCal system?
The statewide voter registration database used for verifying registrations and preventing duplicates.
What does AB 63 (2023) require counties to do post-election?
Post weekly updates of election results and the number of outstanding ballots during the official canvass period.
What does the Election Administration Plan (EAP) detail in Stanislaus County?
It describes how the county implements the Voter’s Choice Act, including vote center locations, drop boxes, and language accessibility.
Which languages does Stanislaus County provide additional election support for beyond Spanish?
Punjabi, Khmer, and Assyrian.
What is required for ballot chain-of-custody procedures?
Ballots must always be handled by two or more staff, documented at each transfer, secured with tamper-evident seals, and logged meticulously.
What election equipment security measures are recommended by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC)?
Locks, tamper-evident seals, security cameras, pre/post-election system testing, and physical/cybersecurity access controls.
What does California require for post-election audits?
At least 1% manual tally of randomly selected precincts or implementation of a Risk-Limiting Audit (RLA).
What precautions should counties take against cybersecurity threats?
Strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, regular system updates, phishing awareness training, and backup systems.
When is the typical candidate nomination filing period in California?
Opens 113 days before and closes 88 days before Election Day.
How should candidate statements be handled?
Statements are printed exactly as submitted (limited editing), with strict adherence to word limits (usually 200-250 words).
What is the procedure if a candidate’s paperwork is incomplete?
Notify the candidate promptly and require corrections by statutory deadlines.
What is AB 545 (2023) regarding voter accessibility?
Requires all voting sites to provide curbside voting and expands available accessibility supplies.
What does AB 969 (2023) state regarding hand-counting ballots?
Prohibits counties from fully hand-counting ballots in elections with over 1,000 eligible voters without state-approved procedures.
What does AB 626 (2023) allow regarding mail ballot returns?
Allows voters to return their mail ballot in-person without the envelope at their home precinct/vote center.
How has ballot curing improved recently (AB 1037)?
Voters can now cure ballot issues (missing/mismatched signatures) electronically, up to two days before certification.
How should poll workers be trained to assist voters with disabilities?
Training includes setting up accessible voting equipment, offering curbside voting, and providing respectful assistance without requiring voters to sign an assistance oath.
