[News Release] – The City of Santa Clarita’s 2014 election certification will be agendized for the Tuesday, April 22, 2014 City Council meeting.  Unofficial Election results show a voter turnout of 14,870 and details are available at VoteSantaClarita.com.

Prior to that date, the City Clerk’s office will be completing several tasks related to certifying the election.  This includes verifying signatures for the remaining 679 vote by mail ballots and 286 provisional ballots received at polling locations on Election Day, April 8.

As part of the City’s process, the vote by mail ballot signatures will be verified using the vote remote system with the Los Angeles County Registrar’s database, and any signatures that cannot be verified will be forwarded to the County for verification.  The City Clerk’s office will also send the provisional ballots to the Los Angeles County Registrar for verification of signatures and voter registration in the City of Santa Clarita.  Provisional ballots are cast in person, but are considered provisional when the voter’s name does not appear on the list at the precinct.  If the voter is indeed a registered voter in the City, has not otherwise voted, and their signature is validated, the vote will be counted.  As part of the post-Election procedures, the City will continue its transparent process of counting votes in the public view, with proper noticing provided in advance.

 The following is a review of next steps with regard to provisional and vote by mail ballots: 

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

• 11:30 a.m. – City Clerk staff began sorting vote by mail ballots and provisional ballots received at the polls in the Century Room at City Hall.
• 12:00 noon – City Clerk staff begins verifying signatures of vote by mail ballots in Century Room at City Hall.
• 1:30 p.m. – Ballot board resumes in the Century Room at City Hall, preparing vote by mail ballots.
• End of day Wednesday, April 9, 2014, City Clerk staff overnights vote by mail ballots without verified signatures, as well as provisional ballots, to Los Angeles County with a request to expedite the process.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

• City Clerk to continue with the ballot board process in the Century Room if not complete on Wednesday, April 9.
• City Clerk to notice hand tally of one precinct, as required by law.

 Friday, April 11, 2014

• City Clerk’s office to potentially receive vote by mail and provisional ballot verification from Los Angeles County.
• Ballot board resumes in the Century Room to sort and prepare items received from County for the final count, if received.
• City Clerk’s office to post 48-hour notice of second count.

 Monday, April 14, 2014

• City Clerk’s office begins canvassing process, which includes reconciling the numbers in the voter roster with the precinct sheets provided by poll inspectors.
• Ballot board resumes in the Century Room to finalize vote by mail and provisional ballots, including sealing boxes.

 Tuesday, April 15, 2014

• 10:00 a.m. – City Clerk’s office administers a second, public count of verified provisional and vote by mail ballots that were turned in at the polls on Election Day and subsequently verified.  The second count will take place in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
• 1:00 p.m. – The City Clerk’s office will complete the process of hand-tallying one precinct, as required by law, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

• 6:00 p.m. – Regular meeting of the City Council, at which time Election results will be ratified and new council members will take their oath of office.

For more information about the 2014 City Council Election, please visit VoteSantaClarita.com or contact Jessica Jackson, communications specialist for the City of Santa Clarita, at (661) 255-4903 or jjackson@santa-clarita.com.