To seek better ways to provide services to encourage all eligible residents to exercise their right to vote; conduct elections in a fair, accurate and efficient manner; maintain a continuous professional level of service to the public; and develop new techniques to improve outreach services which acknowledge the diversity of Alameda County.
The Registrar of Voters is responsible for registering voters and conducting Federal, State, County, special and local elections. The Registrar prepares the published notices of elections and lists of offices for which candidates are to be nominated. It is the Registrar's duty to accept and check the nominating petitions of candidates for office; prepare and print official and sample ballots in English, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese; mail sample ballots to over 700,000 registered voters; recruit over 5,000 election officers and over 700 polling places; and provide the roster and street index and other supplies for use by the election officers at the polls.
The Registrar of Voters is also required to establish and revise voting precincts, provide for the tabulation of returns on election night, and conduct the official canvass of votes cast. In addition to elections, the Registrar is required to check the signatures on initiative, referendum and recall petitions. Finally, the Registrar is required to provide outreach services to maintain voter registration at the highest level possible.