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Since the clerk-recorder registrar of voters seat was spilt from the auditor-controller office in 2024, Francisco Diaz has served in the position after running unopposed for the office.
This election Diaz is being challenged by former county clerk-recorder elections department employee Dane Sanchez.
According to the county’s website, the office records all births, deaths and marriages in the county and, according to the website, “The department provides a public record of ownership and chain of title for all land transactions from 1874 to the present. The department is responsible for determining the recordability, not the legal sufficiency of all documents presented for recording.”
The registrar of voters heads the county elections department including “all federal and state elections within the County of San Benito.”
According to the candidate handbook, qualifications for the office are: candidates must be a U.S citizen and must be registered to vote in San Benito County at the time of the election.
Francisco Diaz
Francisco Diaz was raised in a small town. He began working at age 14 and earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in public administration. Previously employed as a labor relations representative, he volunteers with the Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista and lives with his fiancé and their dog while building a country home with animals.
Why are you running for this office and what do you believe is the most important aspect of this position? Also, have you held public office before?
I’m running for re-election to continue serving the people of San Benito County and to build on the progress we’ve made in protecting the integrity of the services our office provides. The Clerk-Recorder’s Office plays a crucial role in our community, managing some of life’s most important moments—your vote, your home, and your family’s records. This responsibility requires experienced, steady leadership, and I’m committed to ensuring these services are efficient, secure, and accessible for every resident.
Trust is at the heart of everything we do. Every election we administer, every record we keep, must be handled with the utmost professionalism and respect for the people we serve. It’s not just my job; it’s my duty to safeguard the integrity of these services for the people of San Benito County.
Since taking office in 2022, I’m proud to say our office earned a national award for creating a law enforcement advisory group to protect our elections. Achievements like this not only ensure that services are delivered efficiently but also instill confidence in our community that their votes and records are safe.
With my blue collar roots in agriculture and construction, along with a master’s degree in public administration, I approach this role with a practical mindset, focused on using county resources responsibly, making sure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently, and ensuring our services are both secure and accessible.
As a resident and homeowner myself, I understand firsthand the importance of having a local government that listens to the people and works for them.
How will you provide transparency from your office?
Transparency has been the cornerstone of my first term. We have taken measurable steps to open our processes to the public, including launching the nation’s first Election Ride-Along program, where residents can observe ballot collection and security firsthand.
I have also prioritized protecting homeowners and vulnerable citizens by implementing a property fraud protection program. In an era of rising identity theft, this program gives residents peace of mind by notifying them immediately when a document is recorded against their property, stopping potential fraud before it causes financial harm.
To me, transparency also means accessibility. I make myself available to residents who have questions or concerns about our services or elections, reinforcing accountability and trust.
How will you ensure election locations in San Benito County remain secure?
Election security is built on multiple layers of careful planning, robust procedures, and strict accountability. Every ballot and piece of election equipment is returned to headquarters at the end of each day, where it is securely stored under a controlled environment. A strict chain of custody is maintained at all times, ensuring that every vote is protected and the integrity of the election is upheld from start to finish.
When budget constraints required the removal of onsite security personnel, we adapted by enhancing our video surveillance systems and strengthening internal safeguards and procedures. Our poll workers receive extensive, ongoing training to ensure they can manage every stage of the election process accurately and securely. In addition, observers representing all political parties, as well as independent community groups, are welcomed at each step, providing transparency and reinforcing public trust.
This high level of visibility, combined with rigorous procedural controls, ensures that the public remains the ultimate safeguard of election integrity.
How will you ensure our elections machines are not compromised?
We take election integrity extremely seriously. All voting equipment is carefully stored in secure, locked cases and monitored continuously with 24/7 camera surveillance. Our systems are designed to be decentralized, with multiple layers of security and strict access controls to prevent any single point of failure. These technical safeguards ensure that the equipment and data remain protected at every stage of the process.
Equally important is the transparency of our elections. Public observation serves as a critical layer of security, allowing residents to witness firsthand every step, from the initial testing of equipment to the final counting and certification of ballots. By inviting the community to be actively involved, we not only maintain high standards of security but also foster trust and accountability. This combination of robust technical protections and open, observable procedures demonstrates that our elections are conducted with the utmost integrity, accuracy, and fairness.
The FBI has entered election offices in Georgia and Arizona and taken files related to the 2020 general election. Would you be willing to hand over election records to federal agencies if asked to do so?
I will always comply with a lawful court order. However, my primary duty is to the voters of San Benito County and the protection of their records.
If such a request were made, I would demand full transparency regarding why the records are being accessed and personally oversee the transfer to ensure the chain of custody is never broken. I would also keep residents informed throughout the process, reinforcing that their records are secure and handled appropriately.
Dane Sanchez
Dane Sanchez is a lifelong resident of San Benito County who has resided in the District 3 area for more than 25 years. He was employed with the clerk-recorder elections department from August 2020 to December 2023. He assisted with multiple facets of the election process, but his main area of focus was the creation and administration of the Drop Box Collection Program.
Why are you running for this office and what do you believe is the most important aspect of this position? Also, have you held public office before?
I am running for clerk-recorder/registrar of voters because I feel like the county budget is at a critical point which is being affected by department overspending. For example, the county is currently paying more than $13,000 a month for this department to be in their present location.
As a result, this has caused the department to lose two of its employees, and with the steady increase in the cost of living, we can’t afford to play fast and loose with public funds. San Benito County has faced budget issues in the past that resulted in employee layoffs, furloughs, and reduction in office hours. With San Benito County being a bedroom community, any reduction in office hours and staffing levels will have a major impact on the services provided for the community.
How will you provide transparency from your office?
I will provide transparency from my office by keeping the county and community in communication with the inner workings of the department, while keeping confidential and sensitive information secure. Being transparent builds trust and credibility among the members of the community and county. It’s also important to remember that regardless of job title or position, being employed by the county makes you a public servant, and you have every obligation to be open and transparent, while making decisions that work for the best interest of the community, not for self-aggrandization.
How will you ensure election locations in San Benito County remain secure?
Ensuring election locations remain secure in San Benito County is extremely important. One of the ways to accomplish this is by reaching out to the Sheriff’s Department and Hollister Police Department to schedule random patrols around vote centers during the time of in-person voting. I would also schedule private security to patrol around the vote centers overnight to prevent any incidents from occurring when the vote center is unstaffed. It’s also important to have county staff, as well as poll workers, be vigilant of any unauthorized person attempting to access secure areas in or around the vote center.
How will you ensure our voting machines are not compromised?
One of the ways that I will ensure the voting machines are not compromised is by keeping all electronic devices behind secure rooms and/or enclosures, monitored by surveillance cameras. I would also limit the number of people who have access to these secure areas. Other than the elected official and IT personnel, no other persons should have unpermitted access, and any time an authorized person shall enter a secured area, it should be done in pairs to limit an individual from being the sole person in a secured area.
The FBI has entered election offices in Georgia and Arizona and taken files related to the 2020 general election. Would you be willing to hand over election records to federal agencies if asked to do so?
With the FBI entering Election offices in Georgia and Arizona in relation to the 2020 presidential election, if a similar attempt was to occur in San Benito County, no, I would not willingly hand over any election records if asked to do so. Any of the federal agencies that would want access to those files would need a court order. However, I would fight the court order to try to receive a court injunction that prevents any removal of election files from the county office.
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